Mail Call
by PowerPlayer
Summary: The spectators are ready. The fighters are set. And the letters... have yet to be written. Well, it's been put off long enough, and now we can finally see exactly what Master Hand writes to the Smashers, and how they react.
1. Mario

The excitement was in the air, and he could feel it. The people had waited long enough, and after years of patience, they were ready once more.

It's was time for the next Super Smash Bros. Tournament, and it was up to Master Hand to make it even better than the last.

Everyone across the land he dwelled in was prepared. At this very moment, the denizens of this world, his personal domain, were hard at work with preparations on new stages for combat, as well as repairs to old ones. While he was the progenitor of all sorts of worlds, what most people didn't realize was that creating things took absurd amounts of time, and that was just with starting worlds. Most worlds gradually built themselves, and this one was no exception.

This made the Miis participation in the clean up such a great help to Master Hand.

As opposed to being a guiding hand (a pun the God of Order was too proud of), the Mii's were able to handle most of the tasks that needed to be completed without any major oversight. This extended to their lives as a whole. Along with their own civilization, the Mii's had developed a culture all their own, and the participants of the Smash Bros. competitions were a huge part of it. From clothing, action figures, to even video games of all things, the Mii's had come to love seeing their favorite Smash participants, learning anything about them and the worlds they came from.

The only thing more exciting than seeing their favorite stars, is seeing them come out on top in the largest tournament their ever was. To sate these desire, Master Hand occasionally held small scale contests with a handful of Smashers who were available, but the biggest turnouts were always with the big tournaments, bringing just about everyone from past tournaments to the fight with some fresh faces to keep help interest newcomers, and entice the veterans.

Currently, popularity for the Smash Bros. Tournament was so big, that there were even Mii's who were training for it, hoping to earn the honor to be a part of the tournament. Getting an autograph was one thing, but having the honor to fight some of the greatest warriors in the universe was a dream come true.

It was an interesting idea, but one that would need to be entertained at a later date. For now, Master Hand needed to rein Crazy Hand in to help set up the tournament. As unruly as his left-hand of a brother could be, Master Hand knew how much Crazy loved watching the battles, and fighting the competitors. He wouldn't pass it up for all the world's that had ever been made.

Hopefully, the Mii's wouldn't mind managing him while he wasn't around... much...

For now, what needed to be done was get the hardest part out of the way. Not finishing the fighting rings, not performing research on competitor histories, new or old, nor was it making sure the portals worked well.

It was the letters.

While he was a powerful deity, Master Hand was never one for communication with others. He occasionally conversed with the Mii's, mainly the leaders, but that was about it. Outside of that, Crazy Hand was decent for conversation, but while he loved his brother, he didn't like to discuss any deeper. With the bizarre tangents he could go off on, Crazy could talk Master hand's ears off if he had any.

This was a problem due to how the letters were made. Each was was handwritten by the God of Order himself. As nervous as it made him, Master Hand preferred the personal touch. These Smashers had entertained him for years, and he had come to like all of them. Even people like Ganondorf and Wario at least deserved some personal thoughts from him (perhaps not positive ones, though).

Thus leading into his current situation. Master Hand hovering (both figuratively and literally) over a desk, and levitating a pen over a blank piece of paper, with an envelope and wax stamp nearby. Flexing his fingers, Master Hand stretched himself out for the tenth time, and finally got down to writing. He decided that the easiest way was to start with the veterans, and who better to start with than the famous 'Jumpman' himself. Being one of the original Smash Bros., he's written to him multiple times, and has known him the longest. Writing his letter first shouldn't be a problem at all.

Writing the letter well... that would be a bit more difficult.

* * *

 _Mario, eldest of the Mario Bros.,_

 _At first glance, you're no more than an ordinary plumber, cleaning out pipes, and living a simple life with your brother. However, I have seen and heard tales of your life, and know just how much you've experienced._

 _Your whole life has been filled with adventure, fighting against all sorts of threats that posed a danger to your home. You've fought against all sorts of threats, whether it be the madmen such as Fawful, or the demonic power's of beings such as the Shadow Queen without hesitation. The Mushroom Kingdom has been assailed by countless threats, and you Mario, have always stood at the forefront to fight against them. Along side your brother Luigi, and the rest of your allies, you've saved your home, and have become well known as it's savior._

 _However, for a place that has had to deal peril as often as your Kingdom, that is a title that has to be kept by going through multiple trials, and none are more taxing than your encounters with the mighty Koopa King. Over the years he has done everything in his power to defeat you, and claim the Mushroom Kingdom, and its ruler, as his own. Countless schemes have been put into play, and Bowser has come at you multiple times, with an army to back up his ambitions._

 _And through your tenacity, you've almost always managed to come out on top each time._

 _You aren't just a blue collar worker, you're a warrior who is willing to face any odds without a hint of hesitation. Whether the threat is old or new, you give it everything you've got, gathering allies to help you out, and even befriending a few enemies you once fought against. You are a determined Hero, and an accomplished fighter who can adapt to multiple situations._

 _With this in mind, you are once again invited to fight in the latest Super Smash Bros. Tournament, and to face other mighty warriors in combat, both old and new. With your flexible fighting style and will to fight all any odds, I'm confident that you'll fit right in once more as a returning combatant._

 _-Sincerely,_

 _The God of Order,_

 _Master Hand_

 _P.S. -Acceptance for the tournament will be allowed for the next month. To do so, check the box on a separate piece of paper inside the envelope. Acceptance closes in thirty days. Should you choose 'Yes', a portal shall open up thirty days from now, that you will use to get to the tournament._

* * *

"Hmm..."

A plump plumber sat on the porch of his home in the dead of night, trying to gather his thoughts on his current through the letter, Mario took a moment to ponder his entry into the tournament.

Normally he would have leapt at the chance at entering the tournament again. He thought back to the first time he had joined the tournament, and all of the fun times he had with the others. Fighting against Link, exchanging stories with Samus, competing in the trial runs with Captain Falcon, he had countless good memories with people from completely he probably couldn't have met any other way. The second time, he had decided to join up without a second thought. He was eager to meet with his old friends, testing his skills and recounting tales with them. While the invitation was tempting enough, telling him about meeting with competitors old and new, what made him leap into the decision wasn't the reason he jumped back into it.

The main reason was the fact that Bowser had been invited as well. For reasons that Master Hand hadn't really ever explained to him, the Koopa King had somehow earned an invitation to the tournament. With his entry, and the entry of Link's archenemy, it was best that he did enter for the sake of making sure they were kept in check.

However, that was an impulsive move. The first time he entered the tournament, Mario knew Bowser was still recovering from their last encounter. The second time, Mario had only known that Bowser had earned an invitation, and had not learned for sure about whether or not he had actually chosen to enter.

Now, acting impulsively would be a bad move when it came to Bowser. Despite Bowser's lapses into goofiness, and his occasional aid to him and his brother, Mario knew that he was a force to be reckoned with. Especially after his involvement in the Subspace Emissary, and his previous attempts at gaining power over everything he could get. Mario needed to be on his toes in case Bowser pulled something, here, or at the actual tournament.

Looking out at into the night, Mario decided that he wouldn't answer the letter. For now. Mario would wait for a while to learn what Bowser might do. He had time to decide, and would be able to make the decision once he knew what choice the Koopa King made, and whether or not The Mushroom Kingdom would be safe. He knew a certain devious character that could help him confirm that.

For now, he decided to pack it in for the night, and contact those he thought would be entering the next day. He needed rest, and he didn't want his brother worrying that he couldn't get enough sleep.

* * *

 **Well, this was different. I've always been interested in writing a Smash Bros. fanfic, but I was never sure how I could put my own spin on it. For now, this seems like a good was to get some practice for it in. I'm not totally sure about Master Hand's actual letter though, as well as Mario's reaction to the letter. I I'll need to work on those as I go along. Especially for when I get to odd balls like Wii Fit Trainer and Mr. Game & Watch**

 **For now, next up is Luigi, forever proving that 'The Year of Luigi' never ends!**


	2. Luigi

A loud sigh could be heard as Master Hand looked forward, rapping his fingers on his desk. Situated in front of him was a large monitor attached to the ceiling, connected to camera's set up to keep an eye on certain parts of his world. They were mainly being used to observe progress of different tournament grounds, with a handful keeping Master Hand's personal projects in view.

He decided that taking breaks between letters would be good for him. He wouldn't rush and make a mess of the parchment, but he could also work at a steady pace if he relaxed a moment in between. He figured that seeing how well everything was going would calm this ridiculous nervousness he was feeling.

At the very least, he was forgetting about his troubles.

Master Hand was looking at the early build for one of the attraction's, a haunted mansion adjusted for the sake of what was essentially a unique game of tag. One person would play as a ghost and scare up to four other guests. A good idea conceptually, but there were some balancing issues. As it was, the only way the ghost hunters could win was if a timer that was set up had eventually run out. On the other hand, the ghost only needed to catch everyone to win, making him a bit too powerful.

While it would be amusing to some, having guests just wandering around scared and helpless was something Master Hand didn't like. He wanted to make sure that everyone received a fair shake, and that meant giving the guests something to fight back with.

Well, building a theme park was a very new concept to him. Until now, stands and rides tended to mainly be organized by the Mii's who constantly insisted that they didn't need any help from Master Hand or Crazy Hand, especially the latter. So he decided he wouldn't offer any. He'd just make his own attractions, and he hired a few Mii's who weren't doing anything to help. It was still being put together, and he needed to find someone to guide people around later on. Much more work needed to be done, and his current observations proved it.

Taking a closer look at some reference footage Master Hand had gathered would be best to help. Perhaps using a flashlight to weaken the ghost would make Luigi's Haunted Mansion a more inviting place for all Mii's. But that was an issue for a later date.

For now, he needed to write a letter to the person who initially inspired the ride. He was feeling a bit more confident now, and it was time to see how that translated into his writing.

* * *

 _Luigi, youngest of the Mario Bros.,_

 _As a resident of the Mushroom Kingdom, you've had to deal with many strange and extraordinary threats over the years, either dealing with them on the side lines, or confronting them head on. While your initial stands against may not have been considered noteworthy, your contributions have always been important, and still are to this day._

 _Throughout your life, you've spent a lot of time in your brother's, Mario's, shadow. No one really did it on purpose, and they all cared, but they inevitably paid attention to the older brother. It was Mario who was known across the land for his bravery against the Koopa King, and his valiant efforts to protect the ruling royalty._

 _You were known mainly for your goofiness and your supposed cowardice for a long time, and were content to supporting your brother from the sidelines. You had fought alongside him, but even your greatest enemy couldn't remember your name. For a while, you were unfortunately considered Mario's lesser known sibling, forced to remain in obscurity._

 _However, disaster eventually struck when Mario was captured by King Boo, and the only one available to save him was you Luigi, having to face your greatest fears. A dark mansion, terrifying ghouls, and new challenges that you've never experienced before. Worst of all, your brother Mario, the person you cared for and admired most in the world was defeated by the very things you had to stand against..._

 _And yet, that's why you pushed forward. You fought, you persevered, and despite your reservations, you defeated the ghosts, and finally saved your older sibling. Your love and devotion drove you to persevere despite your inhibitions, and allowed you to reach your true potential._

 _You proved that you were just as strong as your brother, and were more than worthy to be considered his equal in every way._

 _As you continued to face down threats with your sibling, you reiterated your own worth as a hero. While you may be considered a coward by many, you're braver than most have ever realized; perhaps braver than even you know. You faced your fears head on and didn't let it restrain you. You've never resented Mario's constant praise and recognition, and have only respect and love for him. You've fought for your brother and your home, going against evil time and again._

 _Not only are you able to stand up as Mario's equal, but you can stand on your own when the time calls for it._

 _For these reasons, you have once more been invited to the Super Smash Bros. Tournament once again to face warriors from worlds of all sorts. Your courage and kind heart will be a welcome addition to the latest roster, while your unique skills will make you a fierce competitor for those who arrive._

 _-Sincerely,_

 _The God of Order,_

 _Master Hand_

 _P.S. -You have one month to accept this invitation to the tournament. Please check the box on the other paper folded inside of the envelope. After thirty days, acceptance shall close. If you choose 'Yes', a portal shall open up when the deadline ends, to take you to the tournament grounds._

* * *

Luigi leaned back in the chair he sat in, getting a clear view of the shoddy ceiling in the small lab he was in.

Reading the letter time and again, he was still happy as he could be about his reentry into the Smash Bros. Tournament. Over the years, Luigi had managed to share some of the spotlight his brother had normally received, and had been getting a lot more recognition as of late.

Sure, he didn't always get a lot of respect, but he at least got plenty from people he cared about. He was a fighter serving the Mushroom Kingdom, working with his brother to fend off threats.

He still got scared a lot, but he was willing to face his fears with the best big brother anyone could ask for.

"Just a moment Luigi, my scans are almost complete," Luigi turned to see Professor E. Gadd still staring at his monitor, keeping an eye out for ghosts.

Right now, he was enjoying a bit of downtime in the Professor's quarters, outside of the woods where the Haunted Mansion used to be. The Professor had thought there were more signs of ghosts, and called Luigi about it just in case. It was just a warning, but the plumber in green rushed over anyway to be safe. His bad experiences with them made Luigi a bit jumpy about spirits, and he knew risk taking with them was not a good idea.

Fortunately, there wasn't any signs of any fiendish ghouls, leaving Luigi time to contemplate his invitation on his own.

He was happy, but a small part of him wasn't sure what Master Hand had meant when he called him brave. Luigi was a scaredy-cat and he knew it. He was afraid of _way_ more than just spirits, and he wasn't ashamed to admit it... well, he kind of was. He knew he'd never be as brave as Mario when it came to facing big threats.

This made Luigi anxious about his acceptance into the next Tournament. He was always really timid, and he wasn't sure if his move set was too weird for the fights. Sure, he got along great with everyone, in particular both Lucas and Olimar, but that didn't necessarily make him qualified to enter the fighting tournament, did it?

Well, something did...

"Mamma mia..." Luigi let out a long sigh, catching the attention of the Professor.

"Ah, sorry to keep you waiting, I just finished!" He said, walking over. Luigi noticed the Poltergust 5000 in tow, and leapt up from his chair, anxious about another fight with spirits. "Ah, don't worry! No ghosts to be found, Luigi my boy. Like I said, I wasn't completely sure about what happened, no need to be jumpy."

The professor noticed Luigi staring at his invention, and gave a light chuckle, "Oh, this, no need to worry! It's not for ghosts, it's for you!"

"...Heh?"

"It's a bit of a going away present, for your little tournament, Luigi my boy! I've seen and heard of all the weird things people use in those fights, so I figured this would be a perfect fit! Consider it a thanks for all your hard work... and a bit of an apology for coming over when there's nothing to do."

"Ho..." Luigi gratefully took the device in hand, and strapped it onto his back, adjusting the straps, and feeling the familiar weight of the hose in his arms.

"Thank you very much!"

"No thanks necessary. Now, get out of here and celebrate with Mario and your friends!" Luigi nodded and ran off, hearing one last thing from the Professor, "And don't be so eager to jump into danger in the future, Luigi my boy!"

And he ran out of the spooky forest, Luigi thought about Professor E. Gadd's statement, and realized he was right. He came out here without a second thought despite being scared. It was _because_ he was scared, and knew how dangerous it was that he wouldn't take any chances. As he ran with these thoughts in his head, and the Poltergust 5000, Luigi felt a weight off of his shoulders.

He wasn't sure why, but he assumed the confidence came from some reflections on past actions. He was all but willing to run into danger and fight against it, alone or with his brother. Sure he was usually scared, but that hasn't stopped him in the past. And it wasn't going to stop him from accepting his invitation.

* * *

 **Well, this was fun. I really like Luigi a lot, and I think he's getting the respect he deserves nowadays. Also, yeah, Nintendo Land reference. I need to get around to playing that actually... than again, I have a ton of games I still need to finish too, sooooo... eventually.**

 **Anyway, for the next character, I think I'll go with DK next. Writing about him should be fun, since he's technically the son of Mario's earliest rival. It might take me a bit longer since I'm not as familiar with him as I am with Mario. I want to do a bit more research to make sure I do a good job writing his section.**


	3. Donkey Kong

With Luigi's attraction well underway, it was only logical to assume that his older brother's was even further in development. And it would be a correct assumption, though the speed of development had nothing to do with any particular prioritization.

No, Master Hands respect for the Smash Fighters was generally very high, and even with those whom he favored least of all, he would never go out of his way to undermine them.

The reason was due to the actual conception of the attraction.

Luigi's 'Mansion of Ghoul's' (the current working title) was harder to work out, given what Master Hand would have been working with, making a ghost chase around four individuals. Tweaks had been made, with park guests having a few more edges, and they were being tested out, along with adjustments made to the speed of the ghost suit on attendee would wear.

Extra time had to be spent to plan out the core of the game, while Mario's was much easier to design and test out. A simple variation made on the classic game tag.

And it proved that the term 'beauty in simplicity' has, and will continue to have relevance for years to come. Essentially four players dressed as Toads, while one dressed as Mario had to keep away from them. The only major variations on the game were the design of the space they'd be playing it, with an occasional Super Star appearing to shake things up.

Master Hand had originally brought the ideas to the Miis helping out with much trepidation. In truth, he found the idea a bit lazy, since it barely featured much of what Mario was best known for in the game. There wasn't even any jumping, and while a certain dedicated Captain did without it, that was a choice, not any sort of restraint.

As opposed to the taunting and finger pointing he had expected, the Miis were curious, and tried it out. One shoddy prototype field later, and the Miis working for him found it enjoyable enough, so a more refined version was made, and open to random volunteers. The result was just a lot of good, enjoyable fun.

It still bugged Master Hand conceptually, but he reconciled with it when he thought about all of the things Mario had done over the years. He was a person who could adjust to all sorts of situations, from dangerous, to menial. It wasn't out of character for him to do this, and the theme of Mario had more-or-less been integrated with the game as a whole, so it was left together, eventually becoming 'Mario Runners' ( the very straightforward working title).

Still, looking back, Master Hand believed that he could have done a bit more with a Mario themed attraction, rather than what had been made. He was satisfied, but with all of the history he had, there would always remain the nagging feeling that there could have been more.

Perhaps he could make up for it with a few special event matches. Themes and celebrations of past events of Mario and other characters. It would be a fun idea for the fans, and he could possibly give a bit of interesting trivia as well.

Such as the history between Mario and the recipient of the letter he had just completed.

Yes, with thoughts about Mario's conflicts and unique encounters, his first major is naturally one of the first things people think of… if they're a bit more well-versed in his history, that is. Most people think of Bowser when it comes to Mario, thinking of his arch rival, rather than his first rival.

The King of Swing himself, Donkey Kong.

One of the strongest fighters in any of the tournaments, Master Hand could always rely on him to provide a good fight, and even be a decent sport about any losses. Most of the time. Over the years, Master Hand had noticed that the largest of the Kong's had mellowed out, and he was happy knowing he wouldn't be as much trouble as Mario's _current_ arch-nemesis.

Master Hand only hoped the great ape hadn't lost any of his his fighting spirit, with how much he wanted to live peacefully outside competition.

* * *

 _Donkey Kong, King of the Jungle,_

 _You are a fighter who has had a very unique transition into your current position. What started out as a simple kidnapping plot for a girl you liked eventually died down when you were defeated and set your sights on the person who stopped you. Whether it was with barrels or jumping, you became fixated on trying to beat Mario, the red-clad warrior who was always there to stop you. Suddenly, it stopped being about any sort of revenge, and just became about proving you could beat him._

 _Eventually, you were invited into one of the fiercest competitions that you had ever participated in, going against Mario, his friends, and even his foes._

 _Kart Racing._

 _Yes, it was just one of many ways you would compete against Mario, and find new rivals to compete against. It wasn't combat, and yet you were satisfied with it, and relegating normal fighting to my tournament, and against the enemies that threatened to overtake your island. Whether it was the Kremling Krew in the past, or the latest attempts made by the Snowmads, you were all but willing to guard your home and take down whatever obstacles that got in your way._

 _Between protecting your home, and competing in different competitions, you barely had any time to cause any more mischief, and you're typically resigned to living peacefully in your jungle._

 _With the path that you've taken in life, you've become less of a hero, and more of a defender. A fighter who wants to defend everything that's his, and everything he cares about, and that's as far as you typically want to go. You've mostly moved beyond fighting Mario, and have grown content with your current life, spending your days enjoying yourself with your friends and family._

 _However, since you still do get a rush from the thrill of competition, and with the great strength you use to keep your home safe, you have been invited to the Super Smash Bros. Tournament once more. You'll have the opportunity to test your skill against your old rival, and all of the other fighters from different worlds that you've come to know, as well as a few you don't._

 _There won't be any bananas at stake, nothing to fight against, just a friendly brawling to see who is the best fighter._

 _I hope you'll consider showing everyone just how good you are._

 _-Sincerely,_

 _The God of Order,_

 _Master Hand_

 _P.S. You need to accept or deny this invitation within the next month, or you'll be disqualified by default. You shouldn't wait to see if anyone else will be accepted, all potential finalists have already been decided, and will be receiving their invitations over then next several weeks._

* * *

"Waaaaa-GUH!"

Water splashed into the air, as one Tuck slammed into the rest of its allies, knocking them all into the sea. As the Snowmad grunts came out of the murky depths, they looked around, confused about what had happened until they looked back up at the land they had been thrown off of.

Standing on all fours and glaring down on them was Donkey Kong, adjusting his tie, and holding a crumpled piece of paper in his hand. The Snowmads and DK stared at each other, neither moving until one of the the Tuck's gave a sad sigh and started swimming away. The others were briefly surprised, staring at their ally in shock, but then took another look at their adversary, and resigned themselves to simply giving up.

After the defeat of their leader Lord Frederick, most of the Snowmads had decided to move on from Donkey Kong Island and find a safer place to temporarily stay. A few stragglers had decided to try and take the island once more and to say that it did not go well would be an understatement.

Donkey Kong watched in satisfaction as the foes sailed away to parts unknown, leaving him alone with his thoughts on the upcoming Tournament.

Donkey Kong turned around, running into the jungle to gain speed, before leaping into the air, grabbing a vine as he swung forward, thinking a bit about the invitation he received as he jumped through the foliage to head home.

It wasn't that he hadn't decided to do it, he was just anxious and needed to get some energy out.

Donkey Kong had grown out of causing mischief for members of the Mushroom Kingdom, and had grown tired of any direct confrontations with Mario. At best, he would take some time to reacquaint himself with Paulina, while Mario used clockwork toys to beat him and 'save' her. A little game made between the two of them for old times sake. It was just them messing around, and Paulina wouldn't mind. Apparently she had been working at some big business, and was happy to take some time selling some pricy parts for the toys they used.

Still there was nothing quite as satisfying as an all-out brawl between him and someone else, and as old as he would get, Donkey Kong was sure that he could lose that feeling. Whether it was rematches with his old rival, or all of the other friends he made over there, it was still a rush he could always rely on.

Thinking back, there were still a few characters he still had business with. Bowser was as strong as him, and always gave DK a good challenge, and someone as dangerous as Captain Falcon always kept things tense. Than there were the less straightforward characters, like Link and the cartoony Link with their gadgets, and that pink puffball Kirby who should be easy to beat, but always caught him off guard.

And those were just his friends from the olden days. There were so many others to fight, and even those he would pal around with, for reasons he never understood. DK was never good at making friends, it just sort of happened, just like with a certain red plumber. He never really bothered thinking about why it happened, he was fine with going through the motions with things-unless they bothered him. Then they ended up like his enemies.

After climbing up one more tree, Donkey Kong had finally gotten back to his home, crashing through the door.

Literally.

"HOO-HOOOO-HOO!" DK cheered as he pounded his chest victoriously, prepared to show his family members the good news-

Until Cranky smacked him on the head with his cane.

Donkey Kong fell back onto his rear, rubbing his head in pain and giving Cranky Kong a confused look, with Dixie and Diddy looking a bit nervous at their adopted parent's anger. Cranky clarified the reaction it to his son by pointing at the pile of splinters that were once their door, and then pointing the cane at him. DK felt a moment of guilt, before it was replaced with his prior elation. He quickly shoved the crumpled paper into Cranky's face, as an explanation for the broken entrance, and he, Dixie and Diddy looked at it closely, before dawning bright smiles onto their faces.

The three of them gave a load cheer before helping DK up and giving him a big hug, which he returned in kind. After a moment, they released the embrace and Cranky decided that the four of them would celebrate with a big meal, hopefully without any armies threatening to steal their food.

And they would leave the matter of the broken door for later.

Before they started preparing the table, Diddy gave Donkey Kong an anxious look, as he wondered about his own invitation. DK simply sighed and patted Diddy on the head, turning his hat crooked. Donkey Kong was sure his closest friend would join him on the battle fields once again, and was confident enough to let him know how he felt.

He wasn't sure why he felt this way, but listening to his gut had never failed him before.

* * *

 **Yeah, for those that are wondering, I'm more or less alive, I've just been very, very, VERY busy with college. I finally had some downtime with Christmas break, and thankfully got around to updating this. Hopefully this came out well, there are a number of characters in Smash that I'm only familiar with thanks to looking online, rather than playing their games, and DK is one of them. If I ever write him again, I may make some tweaks, but I like what I did here, and I'm satisfied with it for now.**

 **Next up, I want to take the POV into space with the great Samus Aran. That'll be fun, and I have a feeling Master Hand will have plenty to say on her, and so will I. Until then!**


	4. Samus Aran

In the center of a clear platform in the sky floated the host of the tournament that Mii's worldwide were looking forward to. On that platform were entrances to rides that were in the middle of development, specifically the first two that Master Hand had come up with. Outside of that were ten empty spaces, waiting to be filled and properly utilized.

"For the hundredth time Bentley, yes, I am certain. Twelve theme park rides, created and sponsored by all of us. Hopefully. You'll be given total control over the rest of the rides while my own personal creations are being built, and after their completion.

I'll be giving my own assistance as well, just as promised."

In front of Master Hand stood his main assistant Bentley, a tall, thin, stern looking Mii holding a clipboard bursting with papers. The Mii combed back his parted blonde hair with his right hand as he crossed his arms to give the God of Order a disapproving stare, in no mood to hear the exasperated tone.

Bentley turned around to look at the Mii's currently occupied with the so-called 'Mansion of Ghoul's' and 'Mario Runners', which had workers buzzing about like bees, getting the constructs themselves finished up. There was decent progress being made, and soon the two work forces would be finished, and free to help out with the rest of the works that he would help organize.

What concerned him wasn't the capabilities of the workers.

"Now, I understand why you'd be concerned, but I wouldn't be setting up any of these goals if I thought they were unreasonable. You can see how hard everyone is working towards getting these projects done, and if worst comes to worst, I'll happily take any blame if it turns out this is just a bit too ambitious."

Bentley sighed, both amazed, and slightly annoyed at Master Hand's sincerity. He was the creator of everything they were familiar with, and yet Bentley sometimes felt like _He_ was in charge, and the God supposedly running thing was his eager to please aide. It was nice, but it was also a part of the main problem he faced.

The assistant showed Master Hand his clipboard, filled with supplies, a duty list, assignments for people, and so on. At the back of the papers stacked up were a _lot_ of ideas drawn up by his fellow workers, who had been brainstorming about what their own attractions would be since they first joined the project.

"Oh, this is wonderful! I'm so eager to see what everyone will be building! Which ideas have you decided to use for the rest of the attractions? I'll order any extra supplies immediately, and you'll be on your way to completion."

The enthusiasm wasn't shared by both parties. Bentley lowered the clip board in his hand, and looked to the side in embarrassment. This earned the closest thing to a questioning gaze that Master Hand could conjure up, and the Mii responded, with no sense of pride.

The freedom that Master Hand was offering him and his colleague's was actually the very issue that the Mii was concerned with. When you're able to do anything, you gain the urge to want to do everything, worried that whatever you decide on won't be enough. This was the problem that Bentley was worried about, since he couldn't find anyone willing to buckle down on a select few ideas, and those that did were still hesitant.

"I see. Well, what do you need?"

Bentley brought out the papers within the clipboard lined with potential elements to be used in the attractions, tapping on them with his pen.

"So, you want me to choose some ideas for you to use?" Bentley nodded sternly, "I see. Well, you seem to be the only one with these concerns, but they're still very valid. I think I'd know best of all what it's like to have countless plans, and with the urge to implement _everything_ I've ever thought would be a good idea." A small laugh from the God of Order slipped out, "However, I won't be choosing anything here for you to do."

His assistant opened his mouth to try and tell him otherwise, but Master Hand stretched his fingers skyward, convincing him to wait and listen.

"Bentley, the fact that you brought this up tells me just how capable a right-hand man you are (forgive the wording), and while they're not all brilliant, what everyone else came up with has potential to form something great. I'm confident in your capabilities to limit yourself, and decide on your own what you can do. There's no reason to feel otherwise. Just focus on one universe, pick a handful of ideas that will bring in guests, test them out, and construct what you believe will work best." Master Hand ended his short speech with one thumb held up, and the rest of his fingers held in his palm, before going back into his normal state.

Bentley paused, looking back at what all of his fellow builders had written down, and back at what Master Hand had created so far. It seemed very daunting, and difficult to pull off, with all of the work that they would have to do, especially since he couldn't get a clear direction like he preferred.

However, Master Hand tended to compromise in just about everything, and the few times he didn't, it was very difficult to change his mind. If he really thought him and everyone else could pull this off and manage to build great attractions, something to honor the Smash Fighters and some of the other guests who made their mark on the Miis, it had to at least be worth trying.

Right?

Master Hand noted his assistant's nervousness, and saw fit to address it. "Don't worry, I'm here to listen and give my advice about whatever you do. You need to run the ideas by me anyway before I let you go through with them, and I'd be happy to discuss some designs you decide on.

However, since you aren't certain about getting all of your ideas together for ten rides... could I perhaps drop the number down to nine?"

A quizzical glance was exchanged with an unseeable one.

"Well... I was hoping I could procure one more spot of land for the sake of creating another attraction, specifically one for Samus Aran. Before you say anything, you need to know that it would be the only attraction created by us that would be dedicated to her, and everyone else around her. It's important that the rest of the members of your team knows this as well."

The assistant nodded in understanding, and decided that it might be helpful. Sure, it might not sit well with some fans of Samus, but they'd probably agree when they heard that Master Hand thought it was best. Solid restrictions like this were rare enough that they were never bothersome, and everyone respected the God of Order enough to take them seriously.

Bentley thanked Master Hand, and turned around, happy that he put so much faith into them, but slightly worried that they wouldn't be able to reach any expectations. As the assistant walked away to meet with the rest of the Miis later on, he thought about throwing in his own ideas. He _was_ a major fan of Link, so perhaps he'd try convincing the others of making an attraction based around his exploits.

After watching the anxious Mii walk off, Master Hand floated back to his mansion, into his office. He went straight to the desk he normally worked at, and looked at the piece of paper he had left blank before.

It was time for him to finally get around to writing Samus' letter.

He had considered pushing hers back a while, but even if he was able to directly control and oversee the construction of this big ride dedicated to her, it may not be enough to ensure that she is able to fully enjoy herself here.

Samus Aran was a bounty hunter like no other, and a hero who has saved countless lives throughout her career. For years she has continued to do so, always fighting her hardest, dedicating every ounce of her being to accomplishing whatever mission she set her mind to. She is a woman with an indomitable will, and has proven this to every creature that has stood in her way.

Everything she does naturally put a lot of strain on her, but she is able to suppress her own emotions whenever she works. It may be a bit unhealthy, but it's a reasonable action when someone is facing challenges like Samus does. Allowing yourself to be stalled by a moment of fear, or losing your cool from a burst of rage, could mean the end when your life is on the line.

The problem is the lack of moderation when she blocks out her feelings. Master Hand is concerned about her constant time spent away from others, and the current rate that she's been taking up and completing missions. While he respects her decisions as an adult and a bounty hunter, he still worries that she's been alone for too long, and could use some time away from work.

He only hopes that his letter will convince her to take time away from the deadly space missions and enjoy herself for a while. Everyone deserved a break once in a while, and Samus had earned hours of off time.

* * *

 _Samus Aran, the Galactic Savior,_

 _From your title alone, it should be clear why you are receiving this invitation once more._

 _You are a warrior who is willing to take up any challenge given to you for the right price. Whether it's retrieving an important item, or taking care of dangerous beings, you take on whatever task you choose, and follow through without any hesitation._

 _However, what drives you to continue moving forward in life goes beyond monetary gain._

 _Your crusade against the Space Pirate, the Metroids, and all of the other threats that plague your 'world' so to speak has not gone unnoticed, and continue to be for more than just money. More than just mere adaptation to unexpected circumstances._

 _It's to prevent others from feeling the same loss that you've experienced._

 _You are very familiar with the concept itself, and how it can feel, and while you prefer to focus on your own self-preservation, you've proven to be most driven when you know that the consequences for failure will result in only pain and suffering for others. You are willing to risk it all, and dedicate body, mind, and soul to terminating anything that threatens the peace and the lives of the innocent._

 _Many people would have broken under all of the strain you put yourself under, physically and mentally. The isolation, the loneliness, the seemingly endless struggles... they have done nothing to keep you from doing whatever you set your mind to. You've remained strong no matter what situation, and have built up a wide array of skills from your years of combat._

 _However, with accomplishments so great underneath your belt, you tend to have difficulty taking leisure time for yourself. It can be hard to slow down and relax, to unwind and do something to help you escape all of the troubles going on._

 _This is the reason that you have once more been invited to compete in a battle against champions from other world. A fighting tournament where you would battle against old friends and new for the sake of testing your strength. However, in the long run, this is more about healthy competition, rather than grueling trials. You'll be requested to give it your all, but not for the sake of any greater goal beyond your own amusement._

 _After the fighting is done, you'll be able to find time to bond with some of your fellow fighters. From the veterans of the past, to the newcomers of the future, many people would be thrilled to have an accomplished person such as yourself around to interact with._

 _And I sincerely hope that you take time once more to see that for yourself._

 _-Sincerely,_

 _The God of Order,_

 _Master Hand_

 _P.S.- If you choose to enter again, please confirm your participation with one month of receiving this letter._

 _P.S.S- I hope you're doing well Samus._

* * *

Inhale.

Exhale.

Samus set aside the letter she 'mysteriously' found on her console for the fourth time in a row so far, sitting back in her seat as she looked at her ship monitor. The screen had been cleared of some information about nearby jobs for her to do, and displayed the nearly dead star system she was in.

Her latest actions there didn't help for any hostile life still living there.

She reclined her pilot seat, and started taking the invitation into consideration. It was a tempting offer, and one that she would happily take up...

...If there wasn't so much left for her to do.

Samus' previous line of work involved taking down a small, but organized group of smugglers, working to smuggle weapons to their fellow henchmen. It was a small job, but it still meant that there were fewer weapons left to hand around to any dangerous individuals.

Specifically, the Space Pirates that were commanding it.

It was yet another job that Samus was almost happy to do, more work towards dismantling the organization of monsters that attacked and infected everything around them like a virus. She felt accomplished about it, yet... she knew it was just another step towards taking down the group as a whole.

Unfortunately, there was so little data on them, that there was no way for anyone to be sure how to land any crippling blows on the organization. With the loyalty burned into the brains of Space Pirates, interrogation won't work on them. At this point, knowing for sure if the main leader was Ridley, Mother Brain, or some other member of the mysterious High Command seemed almost...

Almost...

Almost like something that she shouldn't be concerned about.

Samus pinched the temple of her nose, before shaking her head as she sat up. She was a bounty hunter, not the galaxy's charity worker. The title Master Hand gave her was nice and all, but it wasn't good for describing her. She worked for herself, not for the Galactic Federation, and certainly not for the greater good of everyone. She also knew the dangers of getting too emotional with your work, and letting her own feelings cloud her judgement.

Although, while she was well aware of the dangers it presented, her actions as of late haven't been just about business. The bounties she took up all leaned more and more towards destroying Space Pirates, rather than automatically going towards the highest paying work. Even then, she could tell she would be more driven than she was in the past. More determined to finish the job, and kill everyone that could be another threat people would have to face. Sometimes it felt like sustaining herself was an afterthought. The endless missions she had taken on, the erratic sleeping schedule, constantly forgetting to eat, it had gotten to the point that she had only done them when they were most necessary. Like they were just distractions rather than basic human needs.

Samus looked back at the letter, and thought about what Master Hand had written. He had always been like a doting father to all of the Smashers, and would never stop bugging any of them about their well-being. His comments about how hard she had been working weren't wrong... but could she really just stop what she was doing? Just like that? The idea of just getting away from everything sounded nice, but it was hard to tell if it would sit well with her like before.

Samus thought back to the previous Smash Tournament's that she had participated in. She didn't do much to talk with the others, and that made her the odd one out in the group the first time around. She wasn't anti-social about it, she just didn't care much about talking to people. She recalled her amusement at how Link would get into more conversations with the rest of the original fighters than she ever did.

It wasn't meant to last though. Yoshi had eaten her helmet and ran off with it, leading her into the rest area, and letting everyone see her with her real face. No voice distorter, or anything to cover herself up. It was hard to tell what was more embarrassing, how her true face was revealed, or having to hatch an egg to get her equipment back.

Yoshi was apologetic of course, and all of the others gradually made more of an effort to approach her. Mario to apologize with Yoshi, Captain Falcon to ask for advice on judging a good or bad client, Ness gathering up the courage to look at her tech (he got so excited looking at her arm cannon) and Fox to convince her to exchange stories. She was mostly on the ground, and he usually stayed in the Arwing, so what he told her about his dogfights was usually new and interesting.

As time went on, she had gained several more friends in the tournament. Those she spent the most time around were the space-farers. Fox was still a good for long chats, fairly calm and collected, which was a nice break from Falco and his hot-headedness. He always insisted on taking Samus on in their ships, and occasionally she would indulge him. Usually she didn't bother, because she always found it to be a waste of time. Falco was just more skilled in the pilot seat, but he kept insisting that she had more fight in her when it came to fighting in a ship.

Then there was Olimar. Easily the last person she ever thought she would associate herself with. He wasn't much of a fighter on his own, but how he collaborated with his Pikmin fascinated Samus. He was able to use them to take down enemies many times his own size, and coordinate them with just his arm and his whistle. No matter how much he downplayed his role in their survival, the man had proven to be a clever commander, and was able to bring out the full potential of the Pikmin. The occasional nosy Pikmin clinging to her ponytail, or a bit of rambling about his family was well worth the talks.

Beyond them, there were more people she had met, and was always happy to interact with. Snake, who was fun to be around for conversation , and the occasional drink. Pikachu, who she had bonded with after the Subspace Emissary. Mr. Game & Watch, who was very strange, but entertaining to battle against. Peach, who was always so sweet to her that Samus thought she would get a cavity. She worried about Samus so much, and even told her that-

Her thoughts were stopped by a slight strain in her face. It was normal for Samus to feel some aches and pains from missions, but it was unusual for her to feel from...

...

...

...a smile.

She did it without realizing, and her face was actually in pain. It felt so long since she last put a smile on, and the fact that her facial muscle were actually out of shape got a small giggle out of her. It gradually into a normal laugh, but it didn't go farther than that. Still, it was the first time she felt so far away from everything going on around her, even in a ship miles away from any action. The fact that she never smiled much was a bit sad, but she just thought it was funny she actually had to exert herself to keep a grin on her face.

It was just like Peach had told her before. She kept saying that Samus might forget to smile if she didn't do it enough, and it's safe to say she came pretty close.

As the laughter died down, Samus looked back at the letter she was given, and mulled over its contents. She thought about what Master Hand had wrote about her actions, and recalled the missions she completed. She experience varying levels of accomplishment, but it was always hard for her to ever claim that she was very happy at the end of many of them. She would always move on to the next job without thought, especially if she thought there were Space Pirates involved. It wasn't that she didn't think much of other threats, it was because they were the most dangerous. Her own history with them made it very personal as well.

However, Samus knew she wouldn't be able to function if she kept doing this. Going from one job, straight to the next, with little to no down time. There would always be bounties to complete, and the Space Pirates may seem like a perpetual danger to every peaceful being that drew breathe, but burning herself out like this was dangerous, and could lead to her own demise.

Beyond that, now Master Hand made her recall how anxious she was to see everyone again. A silent place was something that was always appreciated by her, but it only did any good when she needed to rest after some activity, and Samus felt like doing more than just blasting away at enemies. She needed to spend some time in a place she felt comfortable relaxing, and enjoy herself for once. Hopefully it would let her sort out her own thoughts on how she should be working.

Samus picked up the letter, looked for the usual check box, and gave her response. There was no need for anymore deliberation.

She was ready to see her friends again.

* * *

 **Well, this turned out to take a while. I actually made the first part to be much more filled with dialogue, but I decided to just have Master Hand talk. The overall amount of dialogue in each chapter is going to vary (Link won't be talking, and Sonic probably will), but if I can, I think I'll stick with the more silent approach I took on.**

 **As for Samus, she was another unfamiliar character to me, so I looked her over, and did my best to put my own interpretation of her out there. It was fun, different, and I'm happy with it.**

 **Anyway, I think I'll try someone a little next simpler next. And a lot hungrier. Get ready for Kirby, because he's coming right back at ya!**


	5. Kirby

With the next letter finished and on its way, Master Hand decided his next break would be short. He was feeling more confident with writing letters, and decided that keeping up the momentum for a bit would be a good idea.

With the current attractions still being finished, there wasn't much that he needed to attend to. Any Miis under his employment that weren't hard at work were preoccupied with planning out any projects that they would be making (with his approval and aid). Right now, there wasn't much for him to do, except take a look at how things were progressing in a few other places.

He decided that the first view would be a simple one of the Miis setting up some stands and other attractions in the location where others would be staying in local hotels, seeing the fights happen firsthand. it was always interesting to see what they could come up with on their own.

For years, the Miis had been outdoing him in celebration of the Super Smash Bros. Tournament, and it was clear to see all of the dedication and careful planning that went into everything. The small street section alone had restaurants with special deals going on, alongside food stands selling treats completely different to anyone else. Local rides had been prepared, and were set up like clockwork, with the myriad of lined and varrying rides fitting perfectly in place. Small vendors of various goods made use of every space that they had, filling up any open space they could find.

The whole thing was so incredibly well organized, from years of experience setting up, and making sure that businesses wouldn't step on each others toes. Everyone could make their money, the guests wouldn't have to deal with any major traffic, and everyone could still have a blast watching the tournament, with the inevitable monitors set up to watch the battles from afar.

To think that it was only a small glimpse of the hard work being put into anything.

Feeling generous towards himself, Master Hand decided to take time to check out a vital part of the upcoming tournament. Pressing a switch on his desk, Master Hand flipped the feed on the screen to the inside of a facility with a few Mii Scientists wearing lab coats and observing some complex equations on various screens. While he personally couldn't understand the formulas himself, he was well aware of their purpose.

They were meant to keep track of the world's where the various Smash characters came from. That was the entire purpose of the Cross Connection Facility, to bring fighters. to this world safely.

While Master Hand was very capable of finding and grabbing participants on his own, he hadn't done so since the second tournament, and with that, he quit halfway when the CCF was made. It was programmed with the signatures of different worlds, and allowed the Fighters to be tracked down quickly. With so many fighters coming around this time, it was vital that it was working in perfect order. When it didn't... strange things happened.

In a lesser case, the machine could have some issues with where to bring fighters into his own world. This occurred during the third tournament, however, Master Hand always liked to give the fighters some time in advanced to enjoy themselves to get used to the world, and travel to some of the various locations. Finding them could be annoying in some cases, and it was the third tournaments events occurring after that led to any trouble.

A more major case was recalled by Master Hand... and it was a very painful recollection.

He had been having a discussion with his oh so very... 'enthusiastic' brother Crazy Hand, who was arguing about what fighters to bring in. The argument got a bit heated, and the God of Chaos slashed into some machinery, causing a portal to open up and suck them into Dreamland. Fortunately, no one else was thrown in with them.

Unfortunately, they happened to run into Kirby, and unknowingly blocked his path. With Crazy Hand's lack of self control, the three of them were forced to battle each other, with the pink puffball victorious. While he had learned how vital it was to be careful with multidimensional travelling equipment, he only wished it wasn't such a painful lesson.

This brought Master Hand back to writing his letter to the next Smash Fighter, Kirby himself. While he had always had a bit of difficulty writing to everyone, kirby was the one Fighter that made him the most anxious. He had a feeling that Kirby would accept, he was just worried about how sure Dreamland's Hero was of his decision.

During the first tournament, Master Hand hadn't had any actual experiences with any of the competitor's until they arrived. He got to know them afterwards, including Kirby, who he discovered had a very young mindset. Not similar to Ness, or Toon Link, as they still registered some of the more complex things going on around them. Kirby was more like a baby than he was a child, and this made Master Hand fairly concerned about writing a letter just right for him. He would have to make sure to consider Kirby's impulsive nature into this as well.

However, Master Hand knew that Kirby also wasn't a fool, he just had a very straightforward thought process. It could never become a problem, and in his own way, Kirby could be very clever, despite his fairly impulsive nature. His stress came from whether or not he fully understood the implications of what was happening. Every time a tournament happened, fighters were brought into... something of a nexus, positioned for easy reach of multiple universes he could reach to recruit fighters (and occasionally explore more far off ones for fighters, as well as potential guests). It was hard for anyone besides him to truly comprehend the scale of this, but Master Hand suspected that most had an idea. To Kirby, this was just meeting friends, and fighting for fun, nothing more.

There was also the matter of the Subspace Emissary. Master Hand would be doing everything in his power to prevent such an incident from repeating... but he knew some may not feel totally comfortable after what had happened. He wanted to make sure everyone thought over their decision with plenty of time to spare, which was why he gave each fighter a month to think over their entry.

He hovered over his desk, contemplatively. He wanted Kirby to feel like he had a choice, but he also wanted to make sure he was aware of the dangers, without making it seem like he was trying to push the Hero from joining with his friends. He could barely speak a word, but at the same time, he constantly made the choice to save his own world, even if his actions could be a bit misguided...

Releasing a long sigh, the God of Order decided that whether it was a minute or a millenia, just contemplating what he would do would lead nowhere. He decided he would start drafting letters, and when he felt all of the words properly fell into place, he would send it out. It would be a letter that's easy to understand, but nothing dumbed down. Master Hand started writing his mind set on writing an invitation just right for the Fighter from Dreamland...

Before promptly tossing the first paper into the trash bin.

It looked like it may take a bit more time than it seemed, but Master hand was determined to see the letter through. He would get a letter right, and Kirby would likely make the right choice. Even if he didn't completely understand more complex situations, Master Hand would hope that Kirby would be able to read into the message in his words, especially when the God of Order wasn't completely sure of how he interpreted his own text...

* * *

 _Kirby, Savior of Dreamland,_

 _Your life is one that is typically filled with as much peace as there is danger, dealing with evil creatures of all kinds. You've travelled to many different corners of Dreamland for the sake of finding any villain's willing to do harm to you in any way, and stopping them no matter what._

 _In many ways, you are as heroic as any other brave warrior. You fight for what is right, and even when there is some ulterior motive, the end result still remains. You save Dreamland, and in the case that you make a mistake, you always manage to get yourself on the right track to ending any villainous schemes._

 _With all of the power you have, you never stray from what you know to be the correct choice to make. The abilities you wield have taken down almighty beings capable of destroying whatever they pleased, and rather than follow the misguided choices taken by others, you do what you see is right. Your path is clear, your decisions are pure, and no darkness can corrupt the light in your heart._

 _It's this very same light that has earned you the friendships you currently have. You, Kirby, are in one of the most unique positions any hero can ever be in; you've befriended both King Dedede and Meta Knight, both former enemies whom you've battled against multiple times in the past. While many heroes may hold a grudge or feel awkward when meeting outside of the battlefield (for whatever reasons), you don't give it a second thought. They were bad guys in the past, but not any more. They're your friends, your allies, and you are willing to do anything for them without a second thought._

 _As someone with both incredible fighting skills, and a near endless capacity for kindness towards those willing to live in peace, it should be no wonder that you are once again being asked whether or not you want to join the Super Smash Bros. Tournament once more. You have earned the right to stand among many others, whether it be as a mighty fighter, or as a close friend to those around you._

 _Competing won't be easy, and there could be as many hardships as there have been in past tournaments. However, like with any challenge you face, I'm confident in your ability to meet it head on and overcome it, so long as you wish to._

 _-Sincerely,_

 _The God of Order,_

 _Master Hand_

 _P.S.- If you want to join the tournament once more, check off the box on the paper in the envelope._

* * *

On bright and vibrant world of Pop Star, the normally active abundance of creatures were just beginning to stir, as the sun rose up in the horizon. Birds chirped, flowers opened up, and the light of dawn shined upon the home of Kirby.

As the house was fully illuminated, the door opened, and its small resident yawned as he stepped out to face the day and find some breakfast. Looking around, Kirby was happy to see all of the tranquility around him. Animals were playing, bad guys were minding their own business, and there weren't any _big_ bad guys running around causing trouble.

He smiled at the peace, happy to see nothing terrible was going on. With a safe world, and no stolen food, Kirby had yet another day off since he had defeated Queen Sectonia a while back. It was a lot of work, but seeing how happy the citizens of Floralia were when their former ruler was defeated made it all the more worth it... at least, he hoped they were happy. At the time Kirby knew Taranza wasn't as happy about the outcome, and for some reason, the Floralians seemed a bit solemn over their former monarch's defeat as well.

It wasn't something Kirby took much time to think about. As quickly as he patted Taranza on the back for support, the former enemy insisted that everything was alright, and that he was grateful for their aid in stopping Queen Sectonia. Kirby was a bit wary, but forgot about it when the citizens of Floralia comforted Taranza as well.

When that happened, Kirby decided then that it was time to feel happy about everything. To everyone else there, Taranza was being offered forgiveness for his undying loyalty to the tyrannical ruler of a meek populace. To Kirby, he simply saw people being nice and making friends with each other, and he could tell that things would be alright.

Kirby always had a very simple and straightforward view on the world. He was never one for examining the small or larger details of things, he just looked at things as a whole, rather than focus on any technicalities.

Such as how he reacted when he realized that he was standing on a invitation to the latest Super Smash Bros. Tournament. Kirby picked up the letter, and danced around with stars in his eyes. He didn't think about the grand scale of the battles, or how far everyone was coming, he just knew that it would be yet another chance to see old friends and make new ones.

As he ripped open the letter, tearing through the paper with the enthusiasm of a child on Christmas morning, he quickly skimmed over the letter Master Hand had written him. A frown came over his face as he sat down on his porch, looking closely at the letter to read over all of its contents. He knew Master Hand always told him something important, but reading through everything was a bit of a hassle. It was so _long_ for him, but he knew how much Master Hand seemed to like writing them out.

Kirby just wished that he could make them a bit shorter.

As he finally finished reading through the letter, Kirby thought a bit about everything that he could understand. Some of it was stuff that he already knew, like how he always worked towards stopping harmful events from happening, and how he was really close friends with King Dedede and Meta Knight. On the other hand, he was very confused about what Master Hand said, about fighting his friends when they were doing bad things, or doing what bad guys did.

These confused Kirby because of how incongruous they were to his nature. The enemies hurt innocents, hurt the world, and hurt him, so it only came naturally for Kirby to fight against them. It was similar to fighting King Dedede and Meta Knight, or anyone else. When they wanted to be friendly, he'd be their friend. When they were hostile, they were his enemy. Nothing more, nothing less.

Kirby stood up, and started walking off to his next destination, and taking another look at the letter. Kirby thought about what happened during the last Tournament, how all of his friends were scattered, and their worlds were in danger. Darkness given form, mindless servants, fake copies of fighters, as well as real ones stood ready to harm not only his home, but everyone else's. Kirby didn't quite understand just how big the losses would be if him and the other competitors had failed, but he held a strong enough grasp to know that giving anything less than his all wouldn't do. He had to do his best, just like everyone else did.

Kirby's thoughts to the Subspace Emissary strangely brought out a brief smile, as he thought about how unified everyone was during the crisis. While everyone got along, the child-like hero felt an even stronger sense of unity with all of his fellow competitors at the time.

It was likely because of how all of their goals had lined up, into a simple, yet vital goal. To protect everything that they held dear, and defeat those that threatened what they cared about. With everything on the line, all of the fighters were united stronger than ever before. Just like Kirby's own drive, there were no unnecessary technicalities to what had to be done, all everyone had was what they were tasked with, and the drive to see it through.

As Kirby continued to walk, he stopped in place at the top of a hill, seeing a certain castle that reminded him of some of his most recent adventures; the home of King Dedede himself. Kirby dashed forward, excited to show his old friend his letter of acceptance. He didn't think much about the chance of another incident like the Subspace Emissary, because he didn't have any reason to be afraid. Just like Kind Dedede, Bandana Dee and Meta Knight were able to join up despite past issues or struggles, Kirby knew he would be facing any dangerous odds with very capable friends.

He was just that sure, in all of his child-like idealism, that the people he fought alongside once before would rise up to the challenge and do it all over again.

* * *

 **Well, this took a while. I may make a correction here or there, but overall, I'm fairly happy with this chapter. Kirby was a bit of a weird one to do, but I did my best, I like it, and I'm sticking to it. Any issues, or ways I can improve on writing any of these characters, don't be afraid to let me know.**

 **I tried to play the simplicity route, since Kirby is depicted as a Hero with the mind of a child. Sort of like DK's, but lacking proper understanding of events going on. Still enough to get things done, though. It was the weirdness of writing this, and college, that put this off for so long, and I can only promise to do my best with writing these in a timely manner until classes end.**

 **Anyway, I should probably be prepared for plenty more weirdness in the future. And what could be more wonderfully unique and interesting as Hyrule's timeline? That's right, I'll set up a Link for the next chapter as soon as it's done!**


	6. Link

Master Hand was never the best at making solid decisions, whether it ranged from things of a grand scale, to smaller issues that your every day Mii dealt with.

In the case of his largest problems, he always had a issues trying to decide where to stop with his development of any world. He always liked to watch places grow and progress on their own, but he wanted to make the place manageable for the denizens there. He understood how struggle brewed strength in creatures, but he didn't want to make their world miserable.

Add to that the general unpredictability of growth and the evolution of worlds, and there was never any solid answer for such a thing. It regularly irked Master Hand, and it always made him marvel at how well some worlds turned out... whether that be for better or worse.

When discussing smaller problems going around... in this case it came back to the letters once more, though to a lesser extent. Writing a letter to Link, the Hero of Hyrule, would be among one of his easier tasks...despite the fact that many of this Link's exploits technically were not performed by him.

As mentioned earlier, certain worlds could develop unpredictably, and in certain cases, there could be multiple realities that appeared. Citizens placed in different versions of their world, influenced by new events, settings, and people that never originally existed in the different realities that their counterparts called 'Home'. The most obvious tell for the relations between these worlds were certain elements that perpetuated throughout them.

Among these, Link is one of the most important constants that tied the many existing incarnations of Hyrule together. In each world, when trouble showed up, the power of the Goddesses saw to it that he would be there, born as a simple man, forced taking on a monumental endeavor and become a Hero. Of course, it was for Link's many great exploits that he was always invited, and the reason so many people celebrated Link and his world.

Link himself could be found among many different versions of the world's of Hyrule, each one giving him a wildly different origin, but all retaining the same general personality and purpose of protecting his home and those that inhabited it.

This was where a bit of strangeness of the situation popped up.

Despite some of the enjoyment that they felt when coming here, Master Hand could always sense a certain level of awkwardness to the Heroes of Hyrule. Their silence didn't make it easy to understand why each of them felt the way they did. As it stood, there were three Link's who have participated in the Tournament, and one had even gone as far as declining to come back for the previous event. Young Link had shown a bit of disinterest in fighting after having dealt with the curse of Majora, but the other two were still a mystery to him. It was never enough to cause any strife, but it was alwaysthere.

Still, it wasn't something that Master Hand would allow to stop him. He had full confidence in the decision making skills of the Link, and if they weren't up for the idea of participating once more in the Tournament, they would be capable of saying no for their own sake.

If he couldn't trust a grown man who have saved a world to do that much, what could he trust?

* * *

 _Link, The Hero of Hyrule,_

 _You grew up as a simple townsperson, a young man with an average upbringing with good friends around you. You were happy, satisfied with the simplicity of your small village._

 _You never expected it to be attacked, nor were you prepared for the destiny that you would undertake. In your pursuit of the children of your village, you had discovered so much more. You found out about the Twilight Realm, and the malicious intent of Zant the Usurper King and his army, with the stakes of the entire situation being higher than you had ever imagined. With all of the dangers that you had learned of, you also became aware of something just as important; the means to fight back._

 _Throughout your adventure, you met many individuals who had helped you, most notably Princess Zelda and Midna of the Twili. The former gave you the knowledge of your destiny, and the latter stayed at your side, helping you throughout your adventure. In your travels, you gained the items and the skills necessary to take down the darkness that plagued your home._

 _Your fights against the Twili forces, as well as Ganondorf himself, were ones where you had many odds stacked against you. While it was destiny that claimed you would succeed, I have seen destiny proven wrong time and again._

 _No, your victory didn't happen because of any sort of prediction-rather, you were chosen to take your path because the Gods were sure that you would accept and accomplish what you were tasked with. It was by your will that you left home for the sake of rescuing your villagers. It was your choice to become deeply involved in the otherworldly events causing the Kingdom strife. And it was by your own strength that peace was restored, and your home was safe once more._

 _You are a man who has lived through more adventures than you could possibly imagine, with different versions of you living in various circumstances. However, each version differs from the next in countless ways. Every one of you is unique, and just like any other person, no other individual out there has everything that makes you who you are._

 _This is why once more, you are once again invited to the latest Super Smash Bros. Tournament. Your sense of duty towards the innocent, as well as your bravery in the face of impossible odds, has earned you the chance to join. With your strength of character and fighting skills, I have no doubt you would be a welcome addition to the latest roster._

 _-Sincerely,_

 _The God of Order,_

 _Master Hand_

 _P.S.-I hope things are going well with everyone in Hyrule._

 _P.S.S-Please give your answer within the next several weeks, otherwise the chance of entry shall close automatically._

* * *

"Hah!"

A voice echoed through the dim, empty training halls as a blade sliced through the air. A grunt was heard as the same sword was swung upward, and then stabbed forward several times. It's wielder briefly held up his shield before rushing forward,

"Tyah!"

A sideways slash was unleashed at the empty space in front of the warrior, followed by a quick the thrust, and the blade vertically slicing the empty space in front of him. Quickly leaping back, Linkheld his arm close to his chest. He paused, awaiting his imaginary foes to get closer, and closer, right until-

"HYAAAH!"

A harsh scream was released as the swordsman spun around knocking the air around him back. With his strongest attack released, the warrior paused to take deep breaths, trying to calm himself down as the adrenaline from training faded away. He became acutely aware of the strain in his muscles, and the biting chill of the early morning air against his skin, damp from sweating. Waking up before the sun was close to rising would seem ludicrous to most people.

For combatants as dedicated to their craft as Link, it was almost a necessity. They needed to make sure that their body's were strong, always prepared for any threats that could harm the land of Hyrule.

In this case however, the Hero of Hyrule had pushed his body even further than normal. He had spent the early hours doing brief exercises with every piece of equipment that he could find within the training hall. He wanted to clear his head after receiving his good news.

He was reentering the Super Smash Bros Tournament soon.

With his body more relaxed, Link loosened up his posture as he walked towards a nearby bench. He placed his shield and sword down on it, ripping off his wet shirt and tossing it aside before picking up the envelope that brought him there to begin with. It was hard to read in the light of the early dawn, but he had no issue recalling the important details of it. A new tournament was being held, and he was going to be a member.

He just wanted to make sure he was completely up for it before throwing himself into it.

Link was all but ready to head back into the fray, and meet with his friends once more. On the battlefield or off, he had found countless ours of joy as he communicated with unique individuals through conversation and combat.

In particular, there were members such as Marth, an honorbound royal that he had grown close to. Between his skill in both the blade and his merits as a ruler, Link was all but happy to spend time with him, especially knowing how much he was always willing to sacrifice for his home. It was a quality he respected in any leader, one he first identified in Zelda herself.

Among those he spent more time fighting with than speaking (it was never much either way) were Meta Knight and Lucario. Both of them were only recent entries, but he was very impressed by how each of them handled themselves. The former was a near peerless swordsman, whose small stature betrayed his ferocity on the battlefield. The latter was among the most disciplined living creature that he had ever met, Pokemon or otherwise. Hours of meditation and training apparently went into harnessing the power of aura as a weapon, and it showed in combat.

Link felt more than happy to accept them as allies, rather than enemies.

These were just a few of the strange characters he had grown close with. Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pit, he had generally gotten along with all of the fighters for the most part. He had so many reasons to return...

...And two reasons holding him back.

The first was more personal. After first entering the Tournament, Link had learned of his multiple worlds, and the different versions of him that existed everywhere. This didn't affect him much until he met both Young Link, and later Toon Link. One was just a child, and the other was a strange looking version of him, and each managed to achieve feats equal to, or greater than, his own.

At first it was just about accepting that strange individuals like these could stand on the same level as him... but that thought was quickly dismissed. He was in a world of strange characters., with marvellous accomplishments under their belts. He had accepted that they were capable of these feats, and t was the same with these two.

The lingering problem came from the fact that they were both technically him... and just two of many. When he met Toon Link, it fully hit Link just how many more versions of himself there were. All of them had their own adventure, lived their own wondrous experiences, so many, just like him.

And he was one of them. Just another Link out of a million, maybe more. He always felt that even if something he did paled in comparison to another fighter's skills, his own accomplishments were unique enough to stand out. With this, Link had felt that he was no longer _the_ Hero of Hyrule, but just a Hero.

In his mind, he thought he had lost what made him unique, and everything he did seemed so much it didn't matter as much.

Those were his thoughts for a time.

Now, he knew better. He had a clearer understanding of how much his actions mattered, and why they mattered. Why saving this Kingdom, and all of these lives, was and accomplishment that earned him his position. That he may have been Link, but he was a Link unique to all of the others. No one else could have been transformed into a wolf, travelled into a land of Twilight, or stop an otherworldly mass invasion-and if they did, it couldn't have been anything like his own experience. He was sure of it. And even if somehow that did happen, it didn't matter-not as much as the most important thing. The fact that lives had been saved. It was the whole reason he had been fighting, and it should have been enough to quash his uncertainties.

However, while he was aware of this, there was still this gnawing feeling of doubt he had in these thoughts. That in the grand scheme of things, perhaps with the large scale of not just the different Hyrules but also that of all the different worlds, that he and everything he did, everything he saved didn't matter.

He wanted to try and get rid of those feelings this morning, at least push them away long enough to accept this invitation with a clear head. Not would this be for his own benefit, but also for Toon Link, whom he suspected was returning as well.

Throughout the entire third tournament, Link had given Toon Link a harsh cold shoulder, actively avoiding him whenever possible. To him, the other Link was a constant reminder of another place, and another him among many that made him less significant in the grand scheme of things... and he wanted to try again with him. Start over with Toon Link and treat him as a person, possibly even a friend, rather than just some bad reminder of his own made-up thoughts on everything.

He just wanted to apologize to someone who never wronged him in any way.

With his heart calmed for now, he felt more secure about joining the tournament. His only worry was much more predatory than just his own demons. This one was far more dangerous than any demon he might ever face.

Ganondorf. The King of Darkness, and a driving force behind the Twilight Invasion invasion of Hyrule.

Link honestly knew little of the man. He was a male from the Gerudo tribe, with the Triforce of Power, who was banished to the Twilight Realm for his actions. Fighting him head-on in the past, he also understood how powerful and dangerous he could be, and how leaving Hyrule unattended could be a bit dangerous, to say the least.

At the same time, he had some mixed feelings about this as well. Ganondorf had betrayed him and the other Smash Fighters for the sake of hopefully gaining ultimate power from what they believed to be Master Hand. He had later agreed to fight alongside him, Zelda and the rest, but Link was not entirely sure of the reasoning. Was if because he was fooled, because he understood the danger Tabuu posed to the multiverse, or was there a small part of him that truly felt like doing right for once?

The final thought was a very hopeful wish of Links, but he had to assume the worst; that Ganondorf was no better a man than he was the day he was imprisoned within the Twilight.

Thinking back to Master Hand's reasoning for inviting him, mainly due to his skill as a fighter, Link recalled the sentient appendage stating that Ganondorf had no actual way of coming back to Hyrule. That he was imprisoned in a very special place, and only a powerful being like him could find a way to get him out.

Link was not completely sure about whether or not to make his decision here and now about this. Not only did he want to spend a bit more time sorting out his own personal feelings, but he also feared the possibility that his own home could come under attack while he was away. He wanted to trust Master Hand, but he knew very well that the neither the God of Order or Chaos were omniscient in any way. There could easily be malicious forces beyond their knowledge, waiting to do who-knows-what to his home...

Taking one last deep breathe, Link grabbed his shirt, and the regular sword and shield he was using for combat practice, walking out of the empty training hall, letter in hand. He decided that discussing this with Zelda would be best. She had more in depth conversations with Master Hand, and between that and her keen intellect, perhaps she could help him fully evaluate the situation and make the right choice.

For now, he decided he simply needed to get moving as fast as he could. The sun was climbing over the horizon, and he needed to get washed up and ready. The queen was giving out a big speech to the commonfolk, and she needed her personal knight at her side, both for publicity and personal comfort.

* * *

 **Well, this was a long time coming. My sincerest apologies for those waiting a long time. College came up and pretty much threw a wrench in everything, and I had to cut off pretty much all communications with everything to focus on work. I'm back now though, and for the Summer too (with a bunch of personal stuff I want to do as well).**

 **So, firs things first with what I want to say-yes, I am using the Twilight Princess continuity for this Link. It was a bit weird considering he was in Smash long before TP ever came out, but... I just rolled with it. It's hard to say how close or far each of the timelines are, and I decided to use that vagueness to make this decision. Apologies if you were hoping for a different take on the character, but I hope you at least enjoy my interpretation of Link. If anything seems off, let me know, I may be a little rusty with my writing.**

 **A few other things-I'm probably just going to have any Miis that show up speak normally, rather than do what I was trying to do with them before. So... yeah, if you see that, there you go. I thought about editing my first chapter to feature the Mii character Bentley, but I don't know if I should bother.**

 **Also, I picked up Star Fox Zero, but I want to spend more time playing through that before writing Fox. The same goes for Ness with Earthbound, which I feel I should at least look up some gameplay for before writing about it since it seems pretty unconventional. For now, I think I'll write about everybody's favorite electric mouse. Pikachu's up next!**

 **Note: For anyone who has noticed, yes there were edits made later on, mainly for mistakes I overlooked. I'll try to keep these to a minimum, but if they do happen in the future, I'll be changing them. Again, this will likely revolve mainly around spelling errors I missed, rather than any really big alterations.**


	7. Pikachu

Every new day brought with it both new challenges and opportunities to face. With a bright morning sun, the Miis making progress with their personal attractions and battlefield's, and himself on track with his management of everything asked of him, Master Hand was in a perfect mood to work. With his morning stretch out of the way, he was anxious to get back to the grind, and help his people out.

Fortunately, his associate Bentley was in his work office, and in need of assistance. He didn't look as anxious as last time, although the large stack of paper did indicate a big workload for the two of them.

"Good morning Master Hand, I hope everything's well with you. Apologies for calling so early, I don't want to bother you, but I need to sort out these ideas me and the rest of the crew have come up with."

A gentle thud was heard as the stack found itself on the God of Order's desk.

"Nonsense Bentley, I'm happy to help in any way I can. Any time you need it, I will be there for you." Master Hand slid a few papers across his desk to view them, "I'd just prefer it if your future requests didn't double as surprise wake-up calls."

Bentley's business-like composure softened as he brushed his hair back, looking a bit sheepish.

"Ah… of course, Sir, my mistake. It's just that, well, I was anxious to get these ideas to you. All of us had spent the entire night brainstorming, and we came up with so much that we… well… I just couldn't wait any longer, Mast-Sir!"

Master Hand paused,

"Erm… all night? As in, you haven't had _any_ sleep?"

"None whatsoever, Sir. None of us have felt like sleeping much at all recently."

"So… when the last time you got any sleep?"

"What day is it?"

"…"

"…"

"Bentley…"

"I know what you're going to say, Sir, but between the coffee and the excitement of making our own attractions, none of us could help ourselves. There was a _lot_ of debating between us about ideas, and we came up with five whole attractions over the last…"

Bentley closed his eyes trying to think, "Three… two…? No, no... one day, that's all."

Master Hand shrugged, "Bentley, I understand that all of you are anxious to keep working now that most of the current rides are almost complete, but I don't want you risking your health for the sake of the attractions."

Bentley nodded calmly, "I understand that Master Hand, but it wasn't just for the attractions. We genuinely enjoyed coming up with different ideas."

Master Hand gave a curious gesture at this, "Oh?"

"Mmhmm." The Mii in blue nodded, "We argued a lot, but we also managed to enjoy ourselves more this time. We actually… well… n-never mind, it's silly, let's move on-"

"Nonono, go on! You've got me curious now." The immortal being stated honestly.

"Well, we were discussing things, and some of our latest ideas for one ride in particular started to come about through… field testing, so to speak." Bentley dug through the papers on Master Hand's desk, taking out a particular sheet with a sketch of a sword on it, "We actually came up with the idea of four guests teaming up like with the 'Mario Runners' ride, but actually fighting creatures similar to what Link has done over the years.

Some of these, we became somewhat attached to through implementation. See, four of us, as a reference to some of Link's adventures, would all team up and fight against enemies who would attack us. In this case the 'enemies' were the rest of our group and…"

Master Hand listened intently as Bentley went on, interested in his enthusiasm. It was nice to see the Mii actually enjoying himself, despite his efforts to remain composed at all times. Apparently four of them had used some leftover building supplies to create wooden swords, while the rest pretended to be enemies who were 'defeated' after being bumped by the swords several times. Master Hand was fairly interested in the idea by the end of Bentley's thought process, and he had barely looked at the notes he was provided.

"…and even though we rotated every time someone lost each round, I hardly ever got knocked out. Unbelievable, right? I… I…" Bentley suddenly looked distressed, "I shouldn't have been rambling Sir, I'm sorry. You should have stopped me-better yet, I should have stopped myself! I'll get right down to business, and then-"

Master Hand held himself up to stop the Mii, "No need, I think this sounds wonderful. Go for it."

"Hm?" Instead of running out of his office in joy, Bentley was puzzled, "But… but Ma-Sir, I barely went over the fine details. Shouldn't you look into those _before_ we start building the attraction?"

"Oh no, on the contrary, this time I want you to start working on the general premises of it, and then focus on the little details later. Check how much room you'll need, erect some buildings, coordinate with others on landscape changes, that sort of thing. I want to worry about minor changes later on."

"Well… that's all great, Sir, but… shouldn't you look at my notes to get a good idea of the different possibilities there are?"

"Perhaps I should, but to be honest, I think your experience tells me that you should go with… well, the version you and the others enjoyed so much."

Bentley gave Master Hand an incredulous look, which he figuratively waved off,

"I know the idea sounds simple enough, but not everything needs to be complicated and elaborately designed to be fun. Not to mention just how much enthusiasm you showed when you field tested your idea with all of the others. That's one of the few times I've seen you smile since we began working together! If you found it that enjoyable, than it's a safe bet that, with some refinement, it'll find an audience in no time!"

Bentley adopted a face of understanding as he heard Master Hand out and pondered the idea. "Well… the other Miis certainly had a… an enjoyable time, and since we want to make sure to entertain everyone as best as we can…" Bentley nodded to himself, "Alright Sir, I'll bring it up with the others, and we'll get to work right away. As for some of the other thoughts we had in mind…" Bentley looked down at the papers on Master Hand's desk.

"Go on, go on, we'll decide on those later after I look them over. For now, just work out a rough idea of what you all have in mind and get that up while I do my own work."

The Mii nodded, and about-faced to walk out of the room, but not before saying one last thing to Master Hand, "So you know, Sir, I do smile here and there," He stated, "I just don't usually have this much fun at work." With a grin on his face, the Mii left Master Hand feeling satisfied, and with a hearty work load to fill up his day.

Looking through all of the sheets that Bentley had left him, while the legibility varied, the amount of details packed onto each paper was definitely something else. Master Hand could see why his help was needed, due to the sheer number of ideas before him. Getting it all into one ride, with more to create and build, simply wouldn't be feasible. He would work with the entire group to trim these down to as few as possible-and just deciding on a single name may prove difficult, if only because the options for that took up both sides of three pages!

As for the attraction itself, Master Hand would fully admit that just jumping into a project like this might not seem like the best idea at first glance. Contrarily, constantly pondering over choices made eventually led to wasted time and frustration, something he knew firsthand (pun unintended).

Sometimes throwing caution to the wind was all you could do… and while he also had experience of that blowing up in his nonexistent face, both literally and figuratively, he had gotten better at judging whether or not something was a safe bet.

In the case of Bentley's Zelda attraction, like every other it was something meant to draw attention, and give people a good time. Given the general experience of him and the other workers, this definitely seemed like something that had a good shot at working out. He would oversee production to make any changes, if necessary, but wasn't worried much about that.

For now, he had other matters to worry about, such as his own attraction planned for Samus, the other rides for fighters, and of course, his own letter creation.

With the final thought in mind, and an hour of overviewing ideas, Master Hand decided that he would streamline the idea list the Miis had given him for their next project, and then work on his next letter, before looking at the ride that was below all sheets related to Zelda.

And since this one was Pokemon themed, this gave Master Hand the idea to work on a letter for everyone's favorite electric mouse, Pikachu.

The ease that Master Hand decided on this showed his own personal thoughts on the creature, specifically how easy Master Hand found it to understand Pikachu, and his lack of concern on how to write the next letter.

Pokemon in general are more-or-less held up as equals to humans, smart enough to communicate or aid them, but typically lacking the general knowledge or skills to build complex societies in their worlds. When it came to living in their natural habitats, they functioned mainly like animals of other worlds with a few exceptions, yet still garnered plenty of respect from the general populace in their own world. The sentiment was shared here as well, with Master Hand having a good understanding of how the visiting Pokemon functioned, fighters or otherwise.

In the case of Pikachu, it was a fairly simple creature that got along with most, and hasn't raised any concerns for Master Hand over the years. It fought, played around, enjoyed the company of others, and Master Hand was pleased as could be with how easygoing he was with others, showing how well it could present itself in others, thanks to the healthy bond Pikachu had with his trainer, and people in general. Any strain caused by his… personality quirks were never major and hardly lasted long at all, and he had matured over the years as an intelligent being.

This time around would be more easygoing for Master Hand. While he was always happy to write to any fighter, he would be making this letter without much of the usual stress he put on himself before.

And with more than enough anxiety to push him towards hard work, he was happy to offset any that he could.

* * *

 _Dear Pikachu, the Electric Mouse Pokemon,_

 _When you first started out as the partner to your trainer, your relationship was… strained to say the least. Each of you had trouble seeing eye to eye with the other at first, taking time to find a medium through which you could get along._

 _The common grounds in question were battles._

 _Through the training and fighting, the two of you were able to see eye-to-eye, and despite the occasional strife between both of you, you were able to accept your differences and move past them, especially under more dire circumstances._

 _This is something I bring up to reflect your own experiences in the tournament._

 _I recall your first entry into the Tournament with you being seen as a harmless, yet consistent troublemaker. You always caused trouble, aggravated people, but it never got out of hand. While this perpetuated, you managed to get close with those you fought, and gradually, the teasing became friendlier with the other fighters, as you have._

 _By the time the next Tournament had come around, I was concerned about your demeanor, and you were kind enough to dash away those worries quickly. You continued to build up your friendships with those around you, and the teasing remained, but with an equal amount of kindness to balance it out. While you gave the new entries a particularly hard time, you also warmed up to them all the same._

 _The previous Tournament played much more differently. We were invaded, and you were among the many who need to be rescued and take up the fight with the others. Here, not only did you prove to everyone how far you were willing to go to fight for them, you also showed how good a friend you are, even when you were a big tease to them. Thanks to your closeness with all of the veterans, and willingness to be both kind and casual to newcomers, you were not only valuable as an ally in combat, but as a friend to rely on._

 _Through the years, you have become one of many important parts of what makes this tournament so lively and full of energy. Your spirit, your kindness, and your willingness to be yourself around others help make the Tournament grounds feel like home to fighters old and new alike._

 _With these contributions in mind, I would like to formally invite you to the latest Super Smash Bros. Tournament. You will be a welcome addition once more, and will help ensure good times for all._

 _Sincerely, Master Hand,_

 _P.S.- Go easy on new members, please._

* * *

"…and, that's about it, Pikachu. Apparently, there's another page here, where you check off whether you want to join or not." Red stated after reading the letter to his partner. "Well, what do you want to do, partner? Up for heading back to see the others?"

"…Pi…" Pikachu looked at his trainer, at the letter he was holding, and then back at Red.

"No need to worry about me, it's your invitation, so it's your choice to make. I know you've been looking forward to some serious fighting like this."

Standing up on his hind legs on their kitchen table, Pikachu responded with, "Pika pika, pika pi-chuu." Red just shrugged his shoulders,

"I don't know, maybe I just need to wait for a while, like before? Maybe I didn't get invited this time around? It's happened the first two times, so what's the big deal?" Red leans in to closer to Pikachu, "Would you miss me _that_ much?"

Pikachu stares intently at his owner, looking like he was going to sternly agree…

Only to give a terse nod of no, and turn to the bowl of food that the two of them were sharing.

"Oh, come off it, you wouldn't be wondering in the first place if you didn't care!" Red had a wide grin on as Pikachu seemed to be as nonchalant as could be about the situation. He barely took his gaze away from the Oran berry he was snacking on. "You were fine the first few times, but after I actually spent time with you and everyone else, you want me to join you more than ever!"

"Pika. Pikachu-pi."

"Oh, you were just wondering if I was curious? About what, how gullible I am?"

"Chu! Pika-pika-chu! Pika- _pi_?" A wry grin found itself curling up on the electric types red cheeks,

"Oh, I did not get weaker-that's nonsense!" Pikachu hummed to itself, not sounding convinced, "We've trained together for hours, and with all of the others too! Just because I haven't saved the world or whatever recently doesn't mean I've gone soft!"

"Pika piiiiii!" Pikachu turned its head to its trainer, with a sly look to it.

"Oh yeah? If I'm weak, what about you? How do I know you haven't been getting lazy on me and the others, or scarfing down poffins without me looking?"

Pikachu set down the Oran berry in his paws and stood up, arms crossed, looking Red straight in the eyes.

"Piiiika-pika-pi! Pi- _chu_ , pi-pika- _pikachu_ -pi! Pika, pika-pika-PIKA-PI-" Pikachu's not-so-humble speech was interrupted by a quick flick on the forehead by Red.

"Wow, I must actually be _super_ strong. If a normal trainer like me can catch the great Pikachu himself off guard, maybe I _do_ have a shot at entry!"

"…Chuuuuuuu…!" The mocking tone of Red's voice was emphasized and obvious, bugging Pikachu, but not enough for any sparks to fly. This was shown when his anger quickly subsided after Red patted him on the head.

"Okay, back on topic buddy." Red picked up the letter, and put it in front of his partner. "This is your invitation, not ours, and certainly not mine. We don't know if I'll get invited, but for now, don't worry about that. Focus on how you feel about joining overall. I mean, it's not like I'm banned from seeing you, we just won't spend as much time together. That won't be so bad, right?"

Pikachu stared blankly at his trainer, before giving them a small smile and a simple, "Cha!" Prompting Red to stand up, and start walking out, "Pika?"

"I'm going to give you a bit of space to decide, let you think about what you want to do on your own. Otherwise, we'll probably just keep bugging each other." Red waved to Pikachu, "See you later, I'll be grabbing stuff at the Pokemart!"

And with Red's departure, there was a silence that was both welcome, yet isolating for Pikachu.

He always preferred to have a friend to two around when he was doing anything, and this was no exception. He normally wouldn't hesitate to think, but Red had insisted on going through the letter, rather than just doing it on a whim.

And yet, that was all that Pikachu really wanted to do. Sign up, get it out of the way, and start getting ready for the Tournament.

Master Hand's evaluations of Pikachu were spot-on. He had grown to love the Tournament more with each entry, and heading back into it immediately made the most sense. His only majorly negative memories came from the incident with the Subspace Emissary...

…Something that always exhausted Pikachu just thinking about it. From what he heard from all parties involved, it was tough for everyone, but his own memories were particularly unpleasant. Thinking back to being thrown into a random place, getting chased around and captured by those bizarre monsters, and getting used as little more than a power source was painful and aggravating. Not only was he basically being tortured, but he was basically held captive until Samus had arrived to help him. After that, he was more than happy to dole out a few electric shocks to their enemies.

Speaking of Samus, she was someone who Pikachu wanted to see again the most, among others. Pikachu was always grateful for the help she had given him, and in return, liked to find ways to cheer her up and try making her feel better. Even just something little like cuddling up with her was enough to put a smile on her face.

There were other good friends, too. Yoshi was always fun to play with, especially if they had a nice ball to use. Then it got competitive, with each of them trying to hit it past one another, like a larger scaled version of ping pong. Of course, having some of the younger competitors to play with them like Toon Link, Ness, or Lucas always helped liven things up.

And of course, the opportunity to mess with someone grouchy like Bowser or Wario, or more stern and serious like Ike or Zelda just made even better. Pikachu always got a huge laugh playing a prank or two on the former, and rubbing victories in the faces of the latter.

Not to mention Pikachu still owing a bit of payback to certain people. One specific 'friend' being a certain cocky blue hedgehog, who will go unnamed, that kept managing to steal both Pikachu's limelight and chances at victory. He always managed to bug Pikachu just enough to throw him off, which was annoying since it was supposed to be the other way around.

And then there was Red and the other Pokemon to take into consideration. And if there were the chance that they weren't going to be a part of the Tournament than… well, that seemed alright. While he would certainly miss spending time with them, they would still be there to cheer Pikachu on, and he would be busy with everything else.

There really wasn't all that much more to it. Pikachu wanted to see everyone again, have some nice competition to go up against, and he was going to do it. It was time to sign up, and get training!

Pikachu picked up the letter, looked at the box that Red mentioned he had to check to sign up.

…Or at least he would have if he could read and tell the difference. Instead of getting annoyed at this, he just decided to munch down some more berries until Red got home. He was planning to train with him anyway, so they'd still be able to start right after he came back.

Than a new Tournament would start, and he could make new memories with everyone there.

* * *

 **Well, thankfully this one came out a lot sooner than before. I'm hoping to try aiming to get one of these made every few weeks or so, hopefully sooner when I can. It all depends on how I feel, whether it be my mood to write, or what I come up with and how much I want to edit what I make. This one I'm happy about, but I'm kind of making my own versions of the characters Pikachu and Red, with some inspiration that I plan to take from the Pokemon comics. Especially with Pikachu... to the best of my ability. I'll try not to do this too often, and when I do, feel free to let me know what you think. Also, writing Pikachu's dialogue is one of the weirdest things I've done so far as a writer, yet.**

 **Also, I'm happy that I actually managed to make some dialogue between Bentley (who is more or less my OC) and Master Hand, since I honestly can't remember the last time I've done so. Hopefully you liked everything. As for the next chapter, well, I've played through Star Fox Zero (still need to collect all of the medals) so that seems like an appropriate series to write for next. Fox McCloud is up next!**


	8. Fox McCloud

With all of the ideas from Bentley evenly divided up for him to evaluate a bit later, and the Mii and his fellow workers busy with their own duties, now seemed like the best time to look back at the progress of some of his other employees.

Pressing a button under his desk that brought his room's large monitor sliding down from his ceiling, while pulling out his middle drawer revealed a large keyboard. Fiddling with some of the buttons on it, twelve views showed up on the monitor in total, each one aimed at one of the new arena's where competitors would be fighting. Work which was handled by the Miis with near complete independence.

This wasn't always the case. Back when the first Tournament was made, actually getting set up was... well, quite a mess. Along with the original issues with security and transportation between worlds, creating arenas for combat was an incredible pain. With a lot of coordination between him and everyone else involved, it got finished, but left them all exhausted and Master Hand himself with a migraine due to the anxiety.

The fields in which combatants fight one another are constructed from the ground up, typically based on research done on competitors and the world's that they are from. Occasionally, there will be an oddball choice for a stage from another world that happened to look interesting to one of the Miis, but for the most part, this focuses on the fighters.

The process itself it fairly similar to what Master Hand and his workers were doing with their rides. The only difference is the amount of liberties that need to be taken. The stages are essentially platforms with designs built around one or more fighters and their home. The attractions were centered around social fun, and needed to have activities tailored around that.

Thankfully, while progress on their own creations was a bit slow, the making of stages was going swimmingly. After the first time around, the Miis had learned everything that needed to be done the hard way, and thankfully used their experience to manage themselves even better the second time around. More supplies were orders, more labor was commissioned, and construction began much sooner, leaving a bigger window of time to work in.

At that point, Master Hand was both delighted by their work, and a bit saddened by how superfluous he was at that point. He had been relegated to a mere supervisor, with his own advice far less necessary than it was to his current associates. At that point, the only times advice was needed was with the stages that had the trickiest designs.

One example of this was a stage meant to simulate a sense of motion, such as those based on the Lylat System. Due to Star Fox's adventures mainly taking place in space, many were centered there, and meant to replicate the feeling of flying around. Constructing entire scenes with all sorts of constantly moving parts was never easy, although in this case, being able to use one set of effects repeatedly made it manageable. With some fairly simple lighting effects for stars, and some more advanced practices for ships or buildings, they were usually squared away in no time.

Looking at all of the stages being made so far, it was clear that all of the experience had paid off in spades. While each team of workers was considerably smaller than the one Master Hand had together, they were all working on the twelve brand new stages at once, and at a decent pace as well.

A mix of refurnishing and reinforcing old stages, and rebuilding new stages based on who he has confirmed to be returning at this point was done as well. The speed wasn't amazing, but the consistent pace they were making progress made him concerned that he would have to choose members for the Tournament even faster than he had originally planned.

For now though, he knew he simply needed to keep them all fairly busy, and should get at least one new name confirmed so they can have a chance to make new stages for that person. With this, and the fact that he needed to write to another Smash member anyway, he decided that Fox McCloud would be who the next letter is written towards.

Fox rejoining everyone simply felt like a natural choice to make. With all of the excitement and craziness that can occur between all of the member of the big family he managed to get together every once in a while, he was among one of the members who were great about keeping a cool head. He had also become a bit of an authority figure, similar to Samus, which made sense

Master Hand wouldn't have any trouble finding words to fill up this sheet of paper. The only difficulty that lied ahead of this decision was whether or not he could keep everyone under control as well as the vulpine space fighter.

It wouldn't due for his colleagues to upstage him in _all_ of his duties.

* * *

 _Fox McCloud, Leader of Star Fox,_

 _As a leader of an elite fighter squad, one with a well-known reputation throughout the Lylat system, there are certain expectations that people are going to have for you._

 _Many will first question your judgement, and the best way to earn the confidence of those who will rely on your skills is to find good teammates to rely on. Those who are skilled enough to hold their own in battle._

 _Next is the confidence you have in yourself. How sure you are of your own skills, and how capable you are as a pilot will inspire the support of allies, fighting alongside you directly or otherwise. Those you wish to bring into battle should follow of their own volition._

 _Furthermore, with these teammates must come good communication, with equal respect between a leader and his followers. To command loyal comrades is about more than just giving orders-it's also about being willing to listen to those one leads. To trust in their skill and judgement just as much as they do with yours._

 _Finally, comes the task of proving that you are skilled enough to hold the mantle that has been taken up by you. That you will do right by the one who established it in the past, and ensure to honor the name and reputation of Star Fox as a force for good._

 _There are many trials that would have to occur to prove that you have accomplished these tasks._

 _You, Fox, have done well to face such challenges, and take them head on._

 _Throughout your trials against the many forces of Andross terrorizing the Lylat System, you and your companions Falco Lombardi, Peppy Hare, and Slippy Toad have all proven multiple times how strong Star Fox is. Through the trust you have established with one another as teammates and friends, you were able to dismantle Andross' schemes._

 _Your skill in and out of your ship, as well as your reliability as a friend, can be corroborated by the other members of the fighter squad that you reestablished. Star Fox is in good hands, and your father, James McCloud, would be proud to see how you've grown into such a fine leader._

 _For these reasons, I wish to ask that you join the roster of the latest Super Smash Bros Tournament. Like the lofty title you've taken up, this is something you have earned, and something I am proud to offer you._

 _-Sincerely, Master Hand_

* * *

Throughout the far reaches of the Lylat System, peace had become commonplace for everyone. While criminal activity was common, it was a far cry from the chaos of the Lylat Wars that had permeated the galaxy for five years straight.

No longer did people have to fear the soldiers and machines of Andross, all working towards his mad goal of conquering the entire system. Without the looming threat of these deadly and coordinated assaults, there was a sense of calm that could be appreciated by all denizens who had been a part of this war, directly, tangentially, or anywhere in between.

While this could be appreciated by most, there were a few who were left anxious by this time of tranquility, for one reason or another.

In the case of Fox McCloud, he had grown a bit tired of the peace. He was all but delighted to have saved his home from the madman who took his father from him in the first place, but Fox had grown accustomed to the fierce battles that faced his squad throughout the Lylat Wars. He trained for years to build up his skill before the final stand was taken to stop Andross, and after doing just that, what he dealt with now just... didn't match up.

Sure, helping civilians was part of the job, and he wouldn't have started up his father's team again if he wasn't prepared for parts that were less than enjoyable. It was just that the common thugs in space ships weren't as dangerous or engaging as the ones in the war.

In a sense, this was a good thing. No one could amass forces as numerous or as deadly as the diabolical madman who had tormented his home for years. Fox knew these feelings were personal, and ones that he shouldn't be paying too much attention to in the first place. He should just do his job, and be happy that there's less danger for everyone.

And he was.

He was also _bored_ with the lack of challenge.

Training in the Arwing and the other vehicles always went smoothly, and everyone was always happy to go. Falco loved to make bets on who could get the shortest time in a race or a digital test, to which Fox and the others were happy to oblige. Enthusiasm wasn't lacking, so the practice went well and everyone was at the top of their game for the most part. Stopping common criminals was no problem-what Fox needed was something out of the ordinary. Something he normally didn't do.

Something that involved close quarter combat. And the primitively crafted message in his hand would give him exactly the kind of thrill he was looking for. Fox was thrilled to get up close and personal with his old friends, and this good mood could be seen by the spring in the leaders step as he walked towards the bridge. The doors slid open, and Star Fox was officially reunited once more.

Not that anyone else in the room had really noticed, with all members preoccupied.

"OOF!"

Fox turned to his right, at the sound of a young familiar voice, and saw a young familiar pilot.

"Sorry! Wrong connection! Let me just plug that into this outlet, and you should be good..."

Slippy worked carefully to repair their robotic companion, using a pair of tools to adjust some of the wires within Direct-i's chest compartment. It was a routine systems check, nothing too complicated, but Slippy liked to be extra careful whenever he was working on an A.I. He would always compare adjusting a robot to a surgeon working on a live patient, with them putting their trust in their operator to make sure they functioned properly.

It was an analogy that Fox liked a lot.

"…Come on, you blasted… Dang it!"

"Stop taking hits, or you'll get blown out of the sky!"

"M' eyes work jus' fine, Falco, I know what I'm doin-AUGH!"

"'Sure you don't want to get those checked out, old man?"

"Don' you get smart with me!"

To his right, Fox overheard his teams veteran pilot Peppy, arguing with Falco. Peppy was busy trying to get through a level in what was a more advanced version of the game that Falco had been struggling with a while back, with Falco looking like a back seat driver.

It seemed like the two of them, were having some sort of competition. Looking at the two discarded headset, and knowing both of them, Fox had an idea of what was going on. Peppy had been bugging Falco about relying on the headsets to fight in his Arwing, rather than using his own skill, and Falco obviously fought back.

He usually mentioned how he was still just as good, and mentioned how Peppy had come to rely on Slippy's headsets as well.

Knowing this and the two of them, Fox had a good idea of what was going on. Falco probably bet that Peppy wasn't good enough without the headset on, and Peppy decided to try and prove Falco wrong. Fox wasn't sure if they bet anything that could be spent, but he was positive that one thing was on the line for each of them that neither would ever give up; their pride.

Both of them would sooner scrap their Arwings than admit they were wrong, or that the other was right. That would explain Peppy and Falco's intensity on what was supposed to just be a fun game, albeit a difficult one.

It was a sequel to the previous game, and could be about as challenging, if not more so. Like the previous iteration, Fox found the outdated graphics and simplified version of their fights incredibly endearing. He had a lot of fun playing it, but at times, the difficulty made it feel more like a training simulation than a simple videogame.

It seemed safe to assume the pressure of two steamed pilots didn't make the struggle any easier. Fox could almost see Peppy sweating through his fur, and Falco's eyes were wide with anticipation. They were near the end of the level, and there would be no breaking the concentration.

Deciding to give everyone another moment to finish what they were doing, Fox decided that it would be prudent to check over their living space.

"R.O.B., status report."

Fox called out to the helm of their ship, and the mechanical pilot responded concisely,

"Oxygen levels are normal. Artificial gravity is functional. The Great Fox had suffered no external damage. Internal systems are functioning at 97.65578% efficiency."

"Alright." Fox nodded, noticing Slippy giving him a small wave to Fox as he propped up Direct-i, the diagnostics checkup finished. The small robot wheeled passed him out into the hallway as Fox continued, "Any alerts or messages for us?"

"Checking messages… No distress signals have been retrieved. Nor have any messages been sent to the Great Fox."

Fox sighed as he moved to lean against the wall. "Right. Thanks R.O.B., carry on." Fox shuthis eyes and put his head back, taking a brief moment to appreciate the rare moment of silence on his ship.

"Ha! Got it!"

And it was just as brief as Fox thought it would be. Not that he minded.

Opening his eyes, he saw Peppy slumped back in his chair, while Falco was left scratching his head.

"Well I'll be, you actually pulled it off..."

"Heehee, darn straight! Toldja' I could manage without these fancy gadgets." Peppy got up from his seat and picked up the visors from the couch, "I'll admit though... it would've been a _lot_ easier using one o' these."

Falco picked his own up, and placed it on his head, "You sure you want to admit that, Peppy? I thought you hated these things."

"Oh, o'course not!" Peppy placed his own on him, "What I hate is the idea o' you guys gettin' lazy on me. What if these things short out on us? You might have to do things the ol' fashioned way, and you don' wanna get caught with yer pants down."

"Old fashions from an old man..." Falco griped.

"Watch it, Falco."

"Alright, alright, I hear you! But I'll be fine. Visor or not, I'm still the top pilot in the Lylat System, with the best aim out there. A little technical bug isn't gonna stop me." Peppy shrugged his shoulders,

"Hmph! Well, if ya' say so. You better be right, 'cause I _don'_ wanna have to look for new help any time soon."

"Trust me, Peppy, you're gonna be stuck with me for a goooooood long while."

"I hope so."

Peppy handed the controller back to Falco, walking back to his own workspace, and stopping when he noticed their leader,

"Good mornin' Fox, how's it goin'? Ready to hop into the trainin' sim yet?" Fox nodded in Peppy's direction.

"In a bit Peppy, I just wanted to make a quick announcement since we're all here." Fox looked around him, "Slippy? Falco?"

"Huh? O-oh sure, I'm here for, uh... whatever you need me for, Fox!" Slippy placed the magazine he was buried in aside, giving his commander full attention,

"Yeah, sure, got it." Falco said, attention set on the game in front of him. He had his headset off, and while he probably wasn't sore aboutit, Fox figured Falco wanted to proof that he could make do without the extra help-if only for himself, "Just give me a minute here, alright? I'm halfway there."

Fox let out a small chuckle, pulling out the letter he had received, and showing it to Peppy and Slippy with the stamp at the front. Both of them were surprised, but then left amused when Fox gestured his head towards Falco. Their commander walked towards the avian pilot, holding the letter in front of him. It didn't obscure his view, it was just close enough into his line of sight that he could identify it. Shifting his eyes at the paper in question, it took Falco a moment to register what he had seen. After identifying the invitation, Falco's eyes widened, and he jumped out of his seat, dropped his controller, and snatched the letter out of Fox's hand!

"Alright, finally, I've been waiting for _ever_ for another one of these! I-"

"Um..."

Falco looked at Fox, at Peppy grinning, at Slippy giggling, and then back at the letter, before handing it back to his commander,

"I'm so glad that you got one! You know, since you had it, and I didn't... and it's addressed to you..."

Fox looked apologetic towards his friend's disappointment. "Sorry Falco, I wanted to get your attention somehow, and I knew this would work. I didn't mean to fool you."

"Hey, it's fine, forget it. It'll happen sooner or later."

"And we'll all be the first ta know." Peppy said, "I remember the last time, ya' woke us up right when we were headin' for bed!"

Slippy groaned at the memory, while Falco just shrugged, "Hey, I said I was sorry, I just got excited. I had to live with watching the action on the sidelines twice before I finally got my shot." Falco looked at the paper once more, "Say, did that giant glove write anything about me? Maaaaaybe something about _my_ letter?"

Fox looked at the letter, "I don't think so, but I only went over it once. Maybe I should check again."

"Oooh! Let me! Let me!" Slippy rushed up to Fox, who happily let the young engineer have his letter, "Maybe there'll be something about me!" Slippy gasped, "MAYBE I can join the Tournament too!" He opened up the letter, looking at it closely.

"Puh-lease Slippy, you're gonna need at least a few more years under your belt before you're anywhere ready for this." Slippy looked at him with a blank expression, "I mean, well... no offense, it's just that when they say the best of the best join, they mean it, and things can get a lot more chaotic than you'd think in the group fights."

Slippy seemed unperturbed as he looked back down at the letter, and then looked a bit distressed, "Uh... Falco?"

"What's up Slippy?" Falco asked, curious about his friend's look,

"I was looking to see if there was something written about you, and... well, it isn't anything good..." Slippy shook his head, and Falco just got excited,

"What? Don't leave me in suspense here Slip, what's it say?!"

Slippy simply handed the letter to Falco reluctantly, and started walking towards the exit after Falco took the paper. Quickly scanning through it, one problem did stick out to Falco; there was no mention of him.

At all.

"Hey, what gives?! I thought I was kicked out of the Tournament for a second!" Falco turned towards the young pilot as he was stepping through the doors,

"What makes you say that?"

"You said-"

"That there was nothing good about you." A smug grin suddenly appeared, "There also wasn't anything bad, but I guess I forgot to mention that. Oh well, later!"

"Hey, get back here you tadpole!"

As Falco ran after Slippy, the two of them leaving the bridge, Fox picked up the letter that the two of them had dropped, and decided to take a seat at his station, with Peppy following behind him,

"So you know Peppy, I'm going to tell General Pepper I'll be gone."

"And yer sure ya can afford to be away?"

"Yeah, we could all get away for a bit. There hasn't been anything that forces like the Cornerian Army couldn't handle, and Star Wolf hasn't been on the radar for a while. As of now, there aren't any immediate threats to worry about."

Peppy nodded, agreeing with his commander's sentiment as he moved towards his own workplace, "I guess it'll be alright to head back. I'm sure the others'll appreciate it."

"Yeah, Falco's getting back into the fight, no doubt. The audience loves him, and I don't think Master Hand even has the heart to cut him out given how much he enjoyed himself. Slippy's always excited to tinker with tech from other world's and meet new characters, and I know you always love learning about new cultures."

"Eeyup, never know when some otherworldly ideas'll give ya inspiration. I actually come up with a few moves fer mahself thanks to a bit o' watchin' and learnin'."

"Speaking of which, you think you could ever show me any of these 'moves' of yours some time?"

"Sorry Fox, can't teach ya' everything. You'll probably learn'em on your own. By the by," Peppy sat in his seat, facing Fox, "What're you looking forward to, Fox? Most outta everythin', I mean."

"Do I _have_ to pick?"

"It's what I asked."

Fox turned towards Peppy himself, "It's nothing special. Besides the action, I'd say I'm looking forward to being a bit of a guide to the newcomers again."

"Haha, on the job, or off, you just can't help giving orders, can ya?" Peppy was met with a suspicious gaze,

"Something you want to discuss, Mr. Hare?" Fox was answered with a smile from the veteran pilot, which he eventually returned with his own toothy grin. "Haahaha, no, it's nothing like ordering them around. I just like giving the new guys some help learning the ropes. Me and the others in the first Tournament never had much help, so it feels good to take care of that for the next entries before it becomes a problem."

"I see. Ain't that noble of ya!"

Fox chuckled, "Not entirely. I also love seeing how shocked the newcomers are with all of the other worlds out there, and what they have. Heck, I still remember Pit's freak-out when him when I let him fly with me in the Arwing."

Peppy let out a guffaw before going on, "Well, there ain't nothing wrong with a little personal benefits when yer helpin' out. At least yer workin' for free, so the big hand can't complain.

"Now, it's high time to get to work. We need to catch up for Falco and Slippy while they're goofin' off."

"Go easy on them when they get back, Peppy, they're just having fun." Fox said calmly, as he sat down, and got to work. With all of the free time he had nowadays, he had planned out some of the things he needed to do before he left for the Super Smash Bros. Tournament. The ship was ready, the Lylat System was prepared, and his crew was just as excited as he was.

The only problem was the inevitable wait until it all started.

* * *

 **Well, this one came a lot sooner than last, and longer, probably due to me finishing Star Fox Zero so recently (and still needing to collect all of the medals). This is another more dialogue heavy chapter, and again I felt pretty good writing it. I loved the banter and personalities to the characters, and of course I did my best to capture that. A bit less introspective than most of what I've done so far, but it's nice to try something different here and there.**

 **The next character up is pretty different himself, despite his series branching off of a certain plumber's. That's right, Yoshi's up next, and ready to roll!**


	9. Yoshi

The past few days for Master Hand were split between working and writing letters, with the rest of the time devoted to sleeping, eating, and so on. He had always preferred keeping up a momentum with his work to make sure there was never a backlog of tasks to complete, and he had succeeded there for the most part.

One result of this wasn't really a problem, but a bit of an irritant when working on larger scale projects. While keeping up with work is always important, trying to maintain the same level of progress consistently relied on how many tasks needed to be complete.

There was only so much to do at any given time, and never any concrete way to ensure that he could move forward onto new ventures as soon as previous ones were complete. There were usually gaps in time, which came with the unpredictability of how fast or slow progress on a job could end up being.

Typically, Master Hand decided to double check his own schedules and perfect them as best as he could. He wasn't clairvoyant (to the disappointment of some) so these were always subject to changes and alterations.

As of late, it was starting to wear him out, and decided to spend some of his time between management tasks trying something else.

Card stacking.

While not necessarily productive, card stacking was something that Master Hand enjoyed, along with things in general that centered around cards. Doing something like this helped the God of Order steady himself. He would slow down, making sure everything went well and none of the time spent went to waste.

Doing so was great for letting Master Hand mellow out, and some fun here and there never hurt anyone.

As he placed the final cards on the third stack of what would be an eight row card pyramid, Master Hand decided to do a bit of multitasking. He pulled out his keyboard, and had the screen in his ceiling slide down. Careful not to shake his desk and ruin all of his hard work, Master Hand typed out a short message sent out to all of his contacts-

'For the next few hours, I will be taking some time to unwind, and will be unavailable. If there is any need for advice or aid from me, please let me know now and I will take care of it. If not, I will return by tonight if anything comes up

-Sincerely, Master Hand'

Taking just a bit more time to finish stacking his cards up, Master Hand looked at his message box, watching for any responses. Since nothing came, and his associates were always quick to reply, Master Hand decided that it was a sign that he could leave his office without fear of disturbance. He had time off before, but had not spent much of it enjoying another's company. Especially that of the one person he should be with the most-his companion, Crazy Hand.

As the name implied, he was… eccentric, to put it politely. Well known for his erratic tendencies and acting on impulse, Crazy Hand's heart was usually in the right place. It's just that his mind was usually somewhere else. Crazy Hand at least had a good sense of right and wrong, and with some outside help he was an asset to any public projects that needed the extra help. Never sticking to any one job, Crazy Hand was normally on call for the Miis, like Master Hand.

As a God of Chaos, he was Master Hand's opposite in many ways, but the two of them managed to get along fine. While he could certainly be a headache, Crazy Hand at least kept Master Hand entertained, and Crazy Hand himself was always delighted by any company. He could be so maddeningly positive and excitable, it would sometimes make Master Hand jealous.

At the moment though, that wasn't on his mind, just his thoughts on how the two of them were due for some bonding.

That, and the fact that the God of Chaos hadn't shown up at their mansion for a while. Even though he didn't completely trust his other half to avoid causing problems on his own, he did trust the Miis to keep an eye out for him. Crazy Hand was an infamous troublemaker, and since the two of them were so close, Master Hand was always to rein in his other half.

For now, it was time to find out what the other residential God had been up to. With no other responsibilities to take care of, Master Hand placed a piece of paper on his desk, and just before leaving, he wrote down the name of the recipient of his next letter, Yoshi. A reminder of what he would do later on.

With the thoughts of companionship on his mind, he decided his next letter would be to someone known for being among the most reliable of friends.

* * *

 _Yoshi, The Green Guardian,_

 _As a denizen of Yoshi's Island, you are among the many members of your species, and like the rest, generally share the same living styles and ideals. You're passive unless attacked, polite to strangers, and prefer to remain neutral in any issues that don't involve you. However, there are exceptions to this rule, most notably when the helpless are put in peril._

 _Years back, when you were younger and your good friend Mario was a mere infant, you were among the many members of your kind to find Baby Mario, fallen from the sky, separated from his brother Luigi, and pursued by Kamek and his forces. All of you held the fate of those children in your hands, and would decide what would become of them._

 _All members wanted to do the right thing, protect them from harm, but that would mean placing themselves in direct danger. Going up against the organized forces of Kamek and all other creatures inhabiting your Island was a dangerous prospect. Everyone was afraid-except for you. Despite the odds, you didn't hesitate to stand up and convince the others to follow through with what they wanted._

 _You Yoshi were the first to take up the challenge, and convince your friends and family to fight alongside you. Throughout this venture, and another, to save babies from Kamek's grasp, your tribe would grow close to these denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom._

 _You would become particularly close with the Mario Bros., as you worked alongside them to free your people from Bowser's imprisonment._

 _Time and again, whether it was Kamek, Bowser, or some other dangerous force, you were always among the first of the Yoshi's to charge into battle for the sake of those you cared about. The odds and the danger have never mattered to you._

 _All that mattered to you was your loyalty to those you cared about, and your desire to stop those that would bring harm to any innocents. That you were there to fight for what you cared about whenever possible._

 _With the return of old friends, and the chance of meeting new ones, I would like to give you yet another opportunity to return to the Super Smash Bros Tournament. As much as you're willing to fight for your friends, I know you take just as much joy in hanging out with them, and just having a good time in general._

 _I hope you consider coming back, and bringing your enthusiasm and excitement with you for all to enjoy._

 _-Sincerely,_

 _The God of Order,_

 _Master Hand,_

* * *

Grass rustled, and dirt flew as a swift creature dashed through them, with little time to spare, and a mission to accomplish. It zoomed past the other citizens of his island home, careful to avoid the ire of any potential threats. Rexes, Pirhana Plants, Monty Moles, no foe would get in his way.

Why?

Because Yoshi was on the hunt for fruit-and he was hungry as could be.

The green dinosaur had been spending his days calmly, ignoring the heat and enjoying a brief moment of quiet from the battles against the Koopa Troop. After thwarting the latest of Kamek's schemes, which involved turning him and everything else on his Island into yarn, he had been planning to spend the next few days relaxing.

Him and the rest of the Yoshi's across the Island had been taking extra effort to avoid getting into any scuffles for the sake of recuperating from their latest adventure. Recently, something had come up, and Yoshi was tasked with gathering as much fruit as he could. He wanted to get one more before he finished gathering, and soon-the green dinosaur was on a time crunch.

Unfortunately, there were two factors working against him.

First, he had wandered into a desert area while chasing away some Fly Guys from his village. There, the closest thing to fruit that he could find were cacti or Pokeys (neither of which ever went down easy) and it made the beginning of today's trek very hot and tiring.

Second, was a drought, which had been going on for the past few weeks. It had made finding any healthy vegetation in general challenging, since not as much had been growing without the water.

Despite a lot of good fruit getting eaten, and most of his recent findings being dried out, Yoshi refused to give up. He was positive that a tasty meal was out there somewhere, and that he would find it as long as he didn't give up. He didn't have any plans to give up, and couldn't imagine anything getting in his way.

Of course, he hadn't considered what had leapt out right in front of him mid-dash.

Trying hopelessly to break, Yoshi's boots just couldn't get enough friction to stop, and rammed straight into the scruffy beast, causing the two of them to roll down a nearby hill,

"Owhwohwohwohwohwohwah!"

After a bit of time spinning, Yoshi was taken out of his daze as he felt himself getting licked by the scruffy beast he had rammed into. Poochy hopped off of Yoshi, his good mood not affected by the tumble they had taken.

"Hup!"

Yoshi pushed himself up, stumbling before getting enough balance to get a good view of his friend, and give them a stern look for getting them both knocked around.

Poochy on the other hand simply tilted his head, sitting down to look up at his good friend with the same giddy grin he always had on. It was enough to keep Yoshi from staying mad at the wild dog.

Instead, Yoshi decided to start petting him, which Poochy took as an invitation to cuddle into Yoshi's chest. Yoshi himself responded with a strong hug for his furry friend, taking a moment to enjoy his company.

As Yoshi separated from Poochy (still petting him to make sure he stayed satisfied) Yoshi told his companion about his current predicament. Pooch got the general idea; that Yoshi wanted food, and that it had to be really tasty.

Fortunately for Yoshi, his good friend knew just what to do.

Doing an about face, Poochy ran off, barking at Yoshi to follow, to which he complied. Yoshi new Poochy wasn't the brightest around, but he never led him into danger, so he figured he would at least humor his dog. At worst, Yoshi figured that the two of them would just run in circles for a little while.

However, it seemed that Poochy was as good as Yoshi at finding something to eat.

In the dense greenery of the Island's jungle, the foliage within had managed to maintain most of its color thanks to the shade provided by the tallest trees. The sun's harshness faded, making way for the cool tropical air Yoshi found himself in. Plenty of plants were thriving, but most of the big fruits that the Yoshi liked had been snatched up by the nearby wildlife.

All but one.

As Poochy slowed to a stop, Yoshi followed suit, and noticed his friend staring up as he barked. Mimicking his companion, Yoshi than understood exactly why he was brought here.

"Woah…"

Near the top of the tallest tree in the jungle was a big, juicy pink fruit dangling off of one of the branches. Yoshi stared at it wide eyed, just imagining how delicious it would be-

But he shook his head to get rid of those thoughts. He couldn't think of anything like that until he actually had the tasty treat in his hands.

Gesturing at Poochy to stay where he was, Yoshi stepped back from the tree, beginning his climb with a running leap.

"Hup!"

After scrambling to get his grip in the wood, the brave lizard started climbing up to the top.

"Hnnnnnnng… Hnnnnnnng… Hnnnnnnng…"

As he climbed up, he managed to reach one of the nearest branches on the tree, and take a quick breather before moving upwards.

As he was about to move up, he was stopped by a stream of seeds being shot at him.

"Yoshi!"

Shouting for his enemy to stop, Yoshi looked around angrily for his opponents, the light of the sun breaking through the thick foliage from above. Around him were the forests most well-known trouble makers-the Ukiki. Mischievous apes that spats seeds at anyone they didn't like, and a whole troop of them had their sights set on him.

The Ukikis of the forest leered at Yoshi, confident thanks to their numbers and that they were facing off against Yoshi in _their_ element, without a single egg to his name. They hadn't forgotten any of their past run-ins with each other, and with Yoshi not having much room to move around on a tree branch, it was clear that they had the advantage.

Yoshi didn't shy away. He simply looked at all of the Ukikis menacingly, staring them down. Each knew what the other was capable of, and neither wanted to act recklessly.

If only Yoshi thought he had any choice.

Leaping to his left, Yoshi hopped up to the nearest tree branch, bring him just a bit closer to his objective. Then he did it again. And again. He kept leaping from branch to branch, getting a little bit higher each time, and doing his best to keep his foes from hitting him.

The Ukikis took but a second to respond, bombarding the tree with seeds, and the occasional Needlenose, stopping only to refuel and swiftly return to attacking their target.

Save for a few lucky shots, Yoshi managed to remain unscathed.

As he hopped up to the top, Yoshi continuously misdirected the Ukikis, switching up his movements constantly. As he made some leaps, he would shift around his location, making sure to avoid the most obvious ones right in front of him. At least until he was sure they were aiming everywhere else.

Beyond that, he had more complex methods only a Yoshi like him could manage. He would frequently use his tongue to swing off of different branches, or hook onto the trunk of the tree, to shift his location. He even used the occasional flutter jump to catch them completely off-guard. It only worked twice, but it helped tremendously.

After much more running than Yoshi ever thought he'd do this afternoon, he was closing in on his target. His effort was paying off, and the Ukikis had depleted the ammo around them. All looked like it was over, with just one Ukiki refusing to give up. This ape in particular had tossed a Needlenose at Yoshi, just as he had jumped towards the pink delicacy he was after. It grinned excitedly, delighted to finally be successful in its interference with Yoshi.

Yoshi was undeterred.

He remained determined, grabbing the projectile with his tongue, snatching the fruit, and spitting the Needlenose back at his enemy, knocking him out.

Minor payback against the troublemakers, but it was enough for now.

"Yoshi!"

Calling out as he freefell to the ground, Yoshi was thankfully caught by his companion Poochy, who ran off out of the jungle, away from the dangers that had plagued Yoshi.

"Haaangh…"

Relieved that he could rest after the chaos he was suddenly thrown into, Yoshi eyed the fruit hungrily, tempted to devour it whole, but remembering his entire purpose for collecting it, and restraining himself.

If he spoiled his appetite now, he wouldn't be able to properly enjoy himself at the celebration.

Recently, Yoshi had received a new invitation to the latest big Smash Bros. Tournament, and let everyone else in his village know immediately. They were overjoyed, proud to be represented by him and meet all of the other denizens of other worlds as guests (as well as enjoy the unique cuisines).

Naturally, they needed to commemorate this with a big party, and decided to spend time setting up in different ways, which included gathering food. While Yoshi was the cause of celebration, he was still a worker for them, and was asked to help with the food.

Naturally, with all of their appetites, he knew he needed to put in overtime just to make ends meet, and had been working to grab the best food they could enjoy.

Most others wouldn't bother going to all of this trouble for just one more fruit, but if it meant that the rest of his village, and any other visitors he knew were just a little bit happier for it, than the extra effort was well worth the aches and pain of a few seeds.

* * *

 **I try to plan out how these end up, but some things just come into my head during the process, and certain ideas just feel right. I had no idea what the view on Yoshi was at first, I kind of realized it in the middle. Heck, it'll probably happen even when I'm more thorough about planning things out (something I'll try in the future, whether it be this, or other personal projects)**

 **Anyway, Yoshi. He's one of several member of his kind, and I wanted to try and give him the spotlight while giving credit to the other Yoshi's. Making him the first to step up and take action, rather than the only one who didn't want to, works well in my opinion. After all, Yoshi games are sometimes technically team efforts, with different Yoshi's working together to fight baddies.**

 **Anyway, time for the next character, and someone who rivals Sonic himself in terms of speed. That's right, get your moves ready, because Captain Falcon's racing over!**


	10. Captain Falcon

Master Hand floated through the bright, sunbathed town he was floating through, trying his best to take in the atmosphere. All of the Miis naturally had thoughts on setting up for events to com, but there were different ways for everyone. Not everyone had a stand to organize.

In some cases, there were clubs to manage. Fan clubs, to be precise.

Yes, with all of the buzz about their favorite Heroes and celebrities coming into their world, including other guests they may get to know for the first time, enthusiasts of all ages were prepping for their arrival in their own ways.

Rather than focusing solely on attractions, work was made for the sake of boosting morale of those that were arriving. Making posters, coordinating challenges of different character's games online, creating dolls, and countless other means to show love and support to those arriving.

Profits were there as well for those seeking compensation, typically well deserved. Craftsmen have had years to sharpen their skills, and what was shown was proof of the efforts.

He just wasn't sure if the price was worth it for things like collectible figures. They certainly looked nice, but even with the cheaper ones, the price added up. If only his weekly cash flow was a bit higher, than…

Master Hand shook himself at such thoughts. He had no need or desire to live in any sort of unneeded excess. He wanted to keep his head level, his ego small, and his personal responsibilities as minimal as he could.

He lived in a mansion, yes, but it was small, mainly filled with free space, and the occasional amenity to keep him and his Brother comfortable in quiet moments. Nothing more, nothing less.

Looking around him, Master Hand noted a training ground situated near some Mushroom Kingdom trinkets and Mario Bros. themed shirts.

It seemed that the citizens of his world really did expect him to open up entries to Mii Fighters, representing the world the Tournament takes place.

It's amazing how many rumors can stem from a lack of information. The idea of the possibility had originally come from Crazy Hand babbling it to some interviewers who had spoken to him when the Tournament was officially announced, and since then, he's refused to make any comment.

With Crazy Hand constantly hijacking press topics, no one had any clue, and everyone wanted to know what the future held for this possibility.

With rumors of all kinds flying about, some seemingly credible, others completely ridiculous, all unconfirmed, countless people were wondering what the Big Hand himself had in mind, and why he had remained silent since the idea was brought up.

Master Hand kept quiet simply for the fact that he didn't have an idea himself. He didn't come up with it, and hadn't had a chance to give the idea any real thought with everything else going on, including the search for his insane Brother who caused all of the horse hockey to begin with.

Considering the general peace, and lack of burning… anything, Master Hand felt that it was a safe assumption that The God of Chaos hadn't been hear, and decided to take a moment to escape the jobs he had to do.

Unfortunately, the hard training of others reminded him of a subject he had to address. He saw other training grounds set up all over, focused on trying to learn from the fighting styles of other combatants. He noticed many either copying it, or attempting to build onto the basic moves with their own styles. One particular Mii stood out in his scarlet shirt, dishing out as many fierce blows as he was taking, with neither him or his companions giving up.

The enthusiasm behind the thought of having one of their own fighting alongside the people they idolized gave Master Hand pause. There never was any real harm in having Miis fighting in the tournament, and if he could find the strongest among them, than maybe…

Maybe…

…Maybe he would consider this later. The overall process would require more thought, and he was still distracted by his brother's absence.

Having his fill of the scenery around him, Master Hand left the area, thinking about whom he would work to write about next. He was almost finished with the original twelve, and decided that since he wanted to work on a few letters at one to make up for lost time, perhaps he would start with a simpler fighter later on.

* * *

 _Captain Falcon, the Galactic Racer,_

 _Your entire world knows the public exploits of Captain Falcon well. You have made a big influence in two ways, giving you a preceding reputation that very few could hope to earn over a lifetime, let alone in the short amount of time you have been working._

 _On one side, you are a skilled bounty hunter, ever willing to take on any sort of job that offers good enough pay. Rarely is it that you ever turn an opportunity for work, and the raw power and skill you exhibit has garnered both respect and scorn from competitors._

 _On the other side, you live as an accomplished racer and competitor in the Grand Prix. With the Blue Falcon, you race towards any opponents in front of you, and pass them by without fail._

 _Between your bounty hunting, racing, and work to stop sinister forces such as Black Shadow, your prestige has spread to countless civilians. There's hardly anyone out there even remotely aware of your actions._

 _However, this is all they know._

 _One other thing you are known for is your lack of care for the limelight. You've shown no interest in speaking formally to the public about yourself, disappearing from every race as quickly as you arrive._

 _You have made it so that the public only knows what you've done, and have no idea who you are._

 _Whatever reasoning there is for this is your own, but despite this, you have decided to spend time getting to know a select group of people each time a certain Tournament comes around._

 _Rather than racing away to whatever secret base you live in, you always spend quality time with fellow fighters both before and after any rounds occur. You're all but willing to interact with fans and, while still secretive, many Smash Fighters can say they know you very well, better than nearly anyone in your own world. For whatever reason, you've chosen to be fairly open with us about who you are, and the time you've spent interacting with others has been one of the facets of what makes this Tournament so enjoyable for others. Just as enjoyable as I am sure it has been for you._

 _For your skill, and your own enjoyment, I hope that you are able to return to the Super Smash Bros. Tournament once more. Your upbeat attitude is a boon to everyone, and in return for the good times, I personally wish to see you here once more. To give you yet another chance to speak to those you feel comfortable interacting with._

 _Sincerely,_

 _The God of Order,_

 _Master Hand._

 _P.S.-Apologies if I'm at all presumptuous, you just happen to be that good at keeping secrets._

* * *

"Heh!"

A loud Guffaw was let loose as an envelope was ripped open, and a box with some writing and empty boxes printed on it was ripped out. After checking the 'Yes' box, Captain Falcon dashed over to his personal headquarters underneath his secret base, and looked up as a large screen lodged into the shone wall.

The good Captain jumped into his seat, spinning around in it once, before taking his helmet from the holder next to his keyboard and dawning it. With that and his racing uniform still on from his daily practice, he was officially in the spirit of entering the fray one more.

Rapidly typing into his computer, Captain Falcon pulled up a list of his currently booked bounties, and quickly cancelled on all of them, making sure to refund any down payments he might have gotten. After that, he checked quickly to make sure nothing major was going on, and was happy to see that most major threats were either pacified or out of commission, meaning that he was almost completely free to fight in the upcoming Tournament. Almost.

There was a big upcoming race occurring that he was currently registered for, with big prize money being offered. Looking at it blankly, Captain Falcon groaned as he set his arm on the edge of his keyboard, resting his head on his fist as he submitted a request to rescind his entry into the race.

Losing all of that cash would bug him for a while, but he knew that there would be other races in the future. Besides, he couldn't still try to go when he had already accepted the invitation he had gotten.

He probably should have thought a bit more about his current situation before signing up, but he always was more for going with his guts first instincts.

After waiting a moment for his request to be accepted, Captain Falcon straightened himself up and thought about what his next move would be.

With him going to and interdimensional free-for-all, the first thing on his mind was naturally training. Keeping his physical speed up, making sure his reflexes are sharp, ensuring he can launch a hearty Falcon Punch so as not to disappoint anyone, be it opponent or fan...

...so, in that regard, he would just keep doing what he was doing.

Looking around him, Captain Falcon thought long and hard about what responsibilities he might have to take care of and the answer was, none. He didn't have much in the way of a social life, with the closest thing to a friend in his world being Samurai Goroh. Contracts for jobs could be picked up at any time with his reputation, and there was plenty of time before the next Grand Prix.

He always forgot how much of a social life he _didn't_ have, but that was half the reason he had accepted this invitation anyway.

Captain Falcon thought back to the way the paper was written, amused by how clueless Master Hand seemed. He knew much more about the Captain than he was letting on, but tried to make him feel like this 'mysterious hero' the way he was in his own world. It was hilarious, especially considering how much he usually socialized with people over there.

Of course, there was the chance that Master Hand was purposefully omitting information in case the letter might have falen into the possession of someone less than trustworthy. In which case, Captain Falcon would have to pat him on the... hand for both being clever, and cautious.

It would be one of his first question's when he got back.

Speaking of, Captain Falcon considered all that he had to look forward to in the Tournament, mainly the get togethers with other fighters. In his world, Captain Falcon had a target on him just as often as he had the spotlight, so he usually had to go out of his way to avoid being found. He hid his identity, lived on an isolated archipelago, and never gave himself more attention than he had to.

In another world, he never really had to worry about that. With himself as the sole representative, he was able to keep information in that world and prevent it from adversely affecting his safety. Any potential guests like Goroh could be convinced to keep quiet about anything possibly informative thanks to past exploits.

Even with the concern for his personal security, Captain Falcon felt that it was almost criminal to meet to many characters and have to avoid them. He had that annoy him with his fellow racers who he only saw semi-regularly, but as members of the fighting Tournament living in the same general area, he would meet them constantly. It would just make things awkward.

He could barely focus on one person whom he was excited to see, simply because of how much fun it was to talk to them. Even anyone who got on his nerves could at least be entertaining from time to time.

And then there was someone like Sonic, who was a blend of both.

Captain Falcon didn't really care too much for the competition itself, since there wasn't any real prize save for the prestige of winning-he saw the trip as a grand participation award anyway. That didn't mean he was ever lazy, he loved a good challenge, but his drive to be the best burned strongest when he was behind the wheel of the Blue Falcon.

When pitted with the other blue fighter with a need for speed, Captain Falcon felt a strange mix of admiration and irritation. The latter came from Sonic's endless confidence, and occasional smack talk. He was always happy to brag about his speed, and poke fun at any potential competition. The admiration came from the fact that-generally-it _was_ confidence. Sonic was never really arrogant because he could back up his words with his actions. With his speed.

Captain Falcon experience this firsthand, engaging in a series of races throughout the last Tournament after the Tabuu-debacle, and actually coming up short, losing with a score of 102-109. He was still mad about it, and looked forward to serving the blue hedgehog a big slice of humble pie.

With that in mind, Captain Falcon decided that he would get back to practice, finishing up with training in the Blue Falcon, and work on his combat skills next. It would be a while before he had the chance to officially reenter the Tournament, but until than, he wanted to make sure that he was in tip-top shape for what was to come.

Whether it came to meeting up with people, or competing with them, Captain Falcon was all but thrilled to meet the challenge head-on!

* * *

 **Yeah, Master Hand doesn't have a head, so instead of 'shaking his head' of thoughts, he just shakes himself. That makes sense, right?**

 **Also, Captain Falcon is one of those characters who I never played their game, but do know them from Smash, and I researched them a bit. I need to get onto that sometime, probably with the NX. ATM, I'm in the middle of playing some Splatoon, Drill Dozer, I need to play Pokemon, and I got Sega 3D collection which I'm enjoying (while abusing the new save feature)**

 **Speaking of Sega, between this, Sonic Mania (hopefully getting an NX port), Sonic in Lego Dimensions, and the new Sonic 2017 game (definitely going on the NX) I can only imagine what this feels like for old school Sega fans.**

 **As for the next character, with all of the Pokemon fun going on recently (Pokemon GO, Pokemon Sun and Moon, Pokemon's 20th anniversary) it feels appropriate to go back to the franchise and write everyone's OTHER favorite favorite pink puffball! Stay tuned, and stay awake for Jigglypuff!**


	11. Jigglypuff

"May I _please_ see the King now?"

Master Hand hovered in front of the Secretary Mii, managing the front desk in the empty waiting lobby. Two guards, a Mii and Rabbit, each with a sword in hand watched the discussion curiously from the sides of the doors leading deeper into the castle.

"I have a lot to go over, and I've already lost half of the day already. I need to see him immediately."

The Secretary typed a sentence down into her computer, before looking up to Master Hand and giving her answer of, "Let me see if he's available yet," once more to him. She pressed a button on her headphones, asking one of the guards in the throne room if King Mee could speak with Master Hand, but he was given the same response he had gotten five times before.

"I'm afraid he's still occupied in a very important meeting. You'll have to wait until he's finished, like everyone else.

Now please take a seat and wait to be called. When he's ready, you'll be the first to know."

Observing the Secretary's deadpan tone towards a God, and said God's dejected motion towards the nearest seat, the two guards were impressed by the former's cool head, and shocked by the latter's complete resignation.

Seeing it happen again didn't make it any less fascinating to watch. A normal desk jockey speaking to their creator without a care in the world, while the creator obliged like any mild-mannered citizen.

The God in question, while more annoyed than the average person, still understood the current situation, and the treatment he was getting.

After wandering around the fair grounds, and trying to search for Crazy Hand in local neighborhoods, Master Hand had decided that Crazy Hands missing presence may be more concerning than it originally seemed.

The idea of the God of Chaos disappearing on his own for a while and doing who knows what wasn't uncommon. Sometimes He could disappear for a week straight.

The issue was that there was no news about him at all. Crazy Hand, no matter what, _always_ managed to attract attention thanks to his troublemaking nature-it had gotten to the point that seeing him do something normal was worthy of shock-and-awe. Within a day, Master Hand could hear about his brother's haphazardous activities within a few hours of him going missing all the time.

It was never as quiet as it had usually gotten with Crazy Hand, and the bizarre _lack_ of news had gotten Master Hand just a bit worried about his deranged counterpart.

In order to remedy this situation, Master Hand had decided to speak with the local leader-in this case, the ruling monarch and his two sons-to try and get some information on the situation.

With the King's family having ruled for several generations without ever being removed from power, it showed that along with their uncannily similar appearances, the talent and willingness to rule properly had also been passed down from each generation of the Passer line. And with the general competence the current ruler had consistently demonstrated, Master Hand was certain that he would be able to help in his task.

Suddenly, a voice echoed off of the pristine walls of the castle's waiting room, " , the King is ready to see you now." At that, Master Hand moved swiftly to the chamber doors, navigating through the castle as best as he could.

 _Left, then right, then right again... or was it left, right, left...?_

 _I know the last time I was here, they said that I needed to go right._

 _Unless, when I said left, they said right, and meant 'correct' rather than the direction. And now that I think about it, I think they mentioned taking two lefts, and I may only be remembering one..._

 _I had better retrace my movements._

After a bit of confusion, Master Hand found his way to the chamber doors, revealing King Passer sitting at his ornate throne made of (faux) gold with an average work desk with wheels in front of him, and a few attendants bringing reports to him and taking them away, all armed for combat.

 _Why does the King have his guards combatting paper work? It's certainly something I'd be happy to see vanquished for good, but it's a bit below their usual pay grade._

Shaking off the thoughts, Master Hand met the King's gaze with his own, trying his best to appear friendly. Which he was, he was just never the best at emoting (for obvious reasons).

"Well I'll be-if it isn't the Big Hand himself! Good to see you, glad you're here! Please, come up, take a seat, we... well, we only have my seat, but I'm sure you'll make do. Now then, we'll get started in a moment, as soon as we get a bit more privacy. If that's alright with everyone." The Miis surrounding the King looked at each other, the King, and the papers on the desk and in their hands.

"Come now everyone, we've been busting our humps all day, I'm sure the people will allow just five minutes for me to talk to _the_ Master Hand. The Princes can handle any issue that might pop up, and if I'm needed, I'll be there to help in no time. " Looking at the King, and then back at the God of Order, and took their leave. The King was right, and if anything happened, Master Hand would provide good protection for their ruler in case anything happened.

After everyone else had filed out of the royal chambers, the crowned Mii was delighted to see Master Hand-both as an old acquaintance, and an excuse to get away from work for just a bit.

Sighing, Kind Passer started with, "Sorry about that, things have been chaotic with all of the preparations getting thrown into motion. Whether you wield a pen or a sword, it's got just about everybody on edge, and we're all poised to leap at any issue that can be resolved."

Holding himself up, Master Hand insisted it was alright,

"It can't be helped, I've been dealing with the same thing since I started my own personal projects. Multitasking is _never_ easy for me."

"Hahaha, while I don't think we've made anything as big as you, we do have our own hands full here. The security I've hired has even insisted on arming and training my own personal staff to make sure I'm safe from the more colorful issues that may arise. Unless it involves our favorite troublemaker running amok."

 _Staff members? Well, at least the King isn't trying to have the guards doing any unusual tasks._

 _Again._

 _While I'm sure they_ might _know how to make a good meal, that's not what they're around for, and I certainly home King Passer understands that._

Master Hand's land has always had its own series of issues popping up here and there, and its own Mii divisions whom trained themselves to handles such jobs. Fighting against hordes of zombies, taking of the Gold Bone Gang as a member of Mii Force, or defeating evils such as the Dark Lord and his forces, the Miis were capable of handling themselves. It was another reason that Master Hand had considered allowing them to join-as members of his world, many of them have stood up against huge odds, and having representative fighting against heroes of different worlds seemed like a good idea.

The only issue was the formation of any sort of cohesive force. The Subspace Emissary proved how the various Mii Fighters, mercenary's, survivors, etc., were very much part of their own groups. Due to the lack of coordination and communication, the Subspace Army had gotten a strong start and a massive foothold in their world (with other factors that he didn't feel like thinking about). The Smashers were able to band together partly thanks to the bonds that were established before.

The Miis needed this as well, and they had formed it, with the King being one key figure of information, given his status as a ruler of a land. While he and his family could be a bit ditzy, the fact that they weren't dethroned by any displeased citizens said much about their capabilities, especially given the fact that his was one of the few familial monarchy's to still exist. The people had the power, and King Passer did well not to garner their wrath.

"Yes, of course, I only need to..." Master Hand paused, "Wait, 'favorite troublemaker'?"

King Passer nodded sadly, "Yes, he can be so well-meaning sometimes, but Crazy Hand can be such a-"

"You know where he is!?" Master Hand leaned in close, and King Passer backed into his chair,

"Oh um... yes, we had someone visiting from the Cross Connection Facility telling us about how he's been causing problems there."

"How long?" Master Hand stated, leaning in closer,

"I-I'm sorry?"

" _How long_ has he been there?"

"Erm... th-three days... I'd be happy to tell you what's been going on, but while Crazy Hand is here, you're, well, just the slightest bit, in my personal space. If you could just..."

Backing up, Master Hand turned to the side, and started pacing back and forth, and the King adjusted himself into his seat again.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I've been looking for him all over, and I haven't heard anything about him in... three days-three days he's been gone and I never had a clue! I'm supposed to keep him in line, and I don't even know what he's doing!"

Giving Master Hand a sympathetic look, King Passer stated, "Well, you're only one being, and there's just so much you can do. You've been busy, haven't you?"

"Yes, and I have a good reason, and I can't be everywhere at once, but that doesn't make it any less aggravating when someone like Crazy Hand has evaded me for so long."

"I understand. But, there's a silver lining to all of this-" Master Hand mustered up the best deadpan stare he could give to the King, "Well, alright, there's a 'not-terrible' side to this-he hasn't been destroying anything, and Crazy hasn't had a chance to do what he's been trying for the Tournament."

Master Hand looked at King Passer, his annoyance replaced with curiosity. He could still provide useful information and was a good, if slightly annoying, King who just wanted to aid him. He shouldn't be misdirecting his anger, there was no time for that.

For now, he was going to find out just what has been going on with Crazy Hand-and what compelled the God of Chaos to maintain such a low profile for so long.

* * *

 _Jigglypuff, the Balloon Pokemon,_

 _When working to create a large event, one of the main concerns typically had is how to attract the most amount of people. How to spread information, draw people's attention away from other activities, and convince them that whatever one offers is worth their valuable time._

 _A facet just as important is maintaining the interest of a crowd. Keeping people around to enjoy and appreciate your work is just as much of a challenge as grabbing a large audience._

 _In the case of the Super Smash Bros. Tournament, interest is maintained by the constant additions of new elements to the fights, from worlds both old and new. Along with this, thanks to the history that the Tournaments have garnered, many characters have established a legacy with the Miis, making names for themselves and attracting dedicated fans._

 _You Jigglypuff have made yourself known as not only an underdog of the fighters, as well as a performer in your own right._

 _Despite standing up against many skilled warriors, you never let yourself be pushed around by anyone, even when they were stronger than you. You always got back up on your feet and stood your ground-for both yourself and those watching._

 _As I understand it, you have never had a strong interest in fighting itself, so much as you do in having an audience. You enjoyed entertaining others, giving people a good time as they watched you and your opponents face each other with everything you both have._

 _With a new Tournament comes new faces, both in the arena and on the sidelines. For the sake of helping to keep both the participants and the audience entertained, you have been invited once more to the Super Smash Bros. Tournament. I hope to see you put on a show once more, and not only give the fighters a good challenge, but give the Miis one more Hero to admire and root for._

 _Sincerely, Master Hand,_

* * *

 _"Ji... ggly-puuuuuff..."_

A pink puffball stood tranquilly in the middle of a forest, a tree stump for its stage, and let loose a soothing melody that found its way to all of the wild Pokemon nearby.

 _"...Jigglyyyy~yyyypuuuuuuuff!"_

As the song finished, Jigglypuff looked around at the other wild Pokemon to see them all asleep, knocked from her Sing. And upon seeing this Jigglypuff puffed herself up, before letting out a short breath and calmly walked away.

Moving through the woods, Jigglypuff navigated through the natural obstacles, such as cliffs to float down from, or water to float across, and moved to where the next step in her training would take place. With the knowledge that her voice was as effective as ever at putting others to sleep, Jigglypuff could begin focus on honing her main attacks for the upcoming Tournament.

She wanted to be at her best for her adoring public, and had been training harder than ever to prep for the fights to come. With an audience that would never doze off on her, and countless spectacles to make and experience, the show that she could put on for everyone watching her alongside the other fighters was well worth the training (and the minor irritation of having any nearby company pass out of her during vocal exercises).

Passing over a toppled tree, Jigglypuff considered what she would excercise first. She mainly focused on melee attacks, with her Pound and Rollout being the most effective-but effects don't matter much if they don't reach an opponent, and her foes ranged from being as speedy as they were strong.

Wwth smaller, more nimble characters, Jigglypuff had no reservations with facing them head on. They were likely to use their light weight and speed to their advatage, but so could she.

Mid range fighters such as Ness and Zelda would generally require a balance of maneuverability and close combat to throw them off and take them down, respectively. Trickier, but still within Jigglypuff's skill range.

And now came the least pleasant considerations off all.

Ruefully, she thought about the heavy weights, the power houses such as Charizard and King Dedede. Her attacks could stun other opponents without much issue, but the larger fighters could take even Rollout without much issue. Add to it the strength that they possessed and Jigglypuff's weight-class, and once more, she knew who she needed to focus on preparing for.

After hopping over several more fallen trees as she walked, Jigglypuff looked around to see the clearing that she had found, and expanded with her training on the local plantlife. Careful not to poke any of the splintered stumps, Jigglypuff turned her side toward the the large rock with a spherical dent in it, and decided that it would be useful for practice.

"Jiggly..." rotating sideways, Jigglypuff spun faster and faster, kicking up dirt until- "Puff!" She launched herself at the stone, slamming right into the indent that was made before, leaving herself caught in the center of the rock.

After a few moments of wiggling, Jigglypuff looked at her handiwork and nodded with satisfaction, before positioning herself towards a new spot to do it all again. Thankfully, the stone was strong enough to take it, and even managed to stay up after Jigglypuff's continuous Rollout's.

Jigglypuff was happy with the strength she had gained, and was satisfied with her plans for training, but only because of what she could do with this training.

Many Pokemon preferred to spend their time with trainers to fight for them against others, or enter Contests. Jigglypuff never felt like getting caught by anyone, and fighting against different Pokemon alone didn't entice her. Contests piqued her curiosity, but due to being a wild Pokemon, she wasn't able to join in on any of them (Jigglypuff knew she could have done well, even at the risk of upstaging everyone else). It was a shame, but one that she was able to overlook when interacting with wild Pokemon.

In the wild, Pokemon tended to fight each other all of the time for various reasons, whether it be over food, territory, or even just the sport of it all. Where she lived, the latter was typically the main reason, and at the insistence of many other Pokemon, she would participate in fights, and usually manage to use her skills to make the fights unique. It wasn't until battling a certain Pikachu and his trainer that Jigglypuff fully committed to fighting.

The reason why was due to her love for entertaining others, and hearing the audience chant her name. It made the combat, and all of the unpleasantness that came with it worth enduring. It was the whole reason she trained herself so hard to begin with; she wanted to be at tip-top condition for everyone to enjoy. Not only did she have crowds to please, but fellow fighters to show up in the Tournament.

Yes, while she mainly did this for the show that she put on, she was always more than happy to prove to her fellow combatants just how strong she really was-especially, again, the most powerful fighters out their.

As Jigglypuff Pounded another dent into the rock she was working, she thought of the sheer joy and satisfaction she got in the arena's. The thrill of surpassing an enemy who seemed so unbeatable, the rush she felt when the crowd roared at her triumph, and she could only feel more energy pour into her as the pushed on to do more training.

Before Master Hand's letter had even hit the ground, Jigglypuff's decision on whether or not to join was clear.

* * *

 **A bit of a long time coming, but I'm happy to finally present Jigglypuff in all of her pink and floaty glory! Also, something is up with Crazy Hand-what could it be? Well, you'll find out next chapter. I'm planning to try and draw and write more, and finish at least something once a week for each, even if it's just a really short story, or a sketch for practice. Hopefully it will involve this series too, so I can get chapters out to you fast.**

 **For now, last but not least comes the final of the first twelve characters, Ness! Until then, I'll be doing my research, and making sure that his chapter is far more than just 'Okay'.**


	12. Ness

"Next." A Mii in a lab coat clicked on the keyboard in front of him.

 ***Click***

"Hmm… Seems a bit too feathery with those black wings on his back, but being part bird hasn't stopped anyone before." A hand quickly some random scribbles on a notepad, and put it on the wall,

"Next." The giant monitor switched to a new video feed, with several others visible in smaller scaled on the edges of the screen.

 ***Click***

"…Well, explosions make everything better, and with all of his bombs, we may be able to eliminate sadness altogether." Another note filled and stuck onto the wall,

"Next."

 ***Click***

"Hmmmmm… Mmm… they seem alright, but they play both the banjo _and_ the kazoo unironically. Not too appealing. A definite 'Maybe'." Yet another note scrawled on and stuck on… to the wall.

"Next."

 ***Smash***

"Oh no! Another fallen ally in the pursuit for warriors!" The scientist Mii was lifted up like a cat by his collar, and floated to a table filled with breakfasts and a coffee machine, with five other Miis sitting around it, "Fear not, good friend, your sacrifice shall not be in vain!" The one who lifted him poured him a cup of coffee, "Your efforts shall be engraved in the walls, and in the very hearts of all those serving with you, lest we for-"

"Hold your horses, Crazy Hand! What did I say about you spending time here?"

The massive white Hand sagged onto the floor, moaning loudly, "Uuuuugh, do I have to-"

"Yes!"

Crazy Hand grumbled before reciting the lines, of 'No fighting, fires, explosions, dangerous experiments, or vandalism on these premises,' as he had memorized on the Cross Connection Facilities policy list. It was given to him by the head of the CCF, Dr. Rayserj, who was speaking to him now.

Crazy Hand didn't understand why this list only pertained to God's of Chaos, but as least he knew he wasn't being singled out. He just hoped to meet some other God of Chaos that those rules pertain to.

"But-"

"No buts, I allowed you to stay longer than I ever imagined you would need to, and I am _still_ waiting for you to finish!" The grouchy Mii pointed toward Crazy Hand, the wrinkles on his brow furrowing even deeper than before.

"In just a few more hours-no, minutes-no, not even-a few seconds, honest, sir! I'll be done, faster than you can say decaf!"

"First, it's not decaf, you just got tired of waiting for a drink, and ate most of the beans. This was what we could salvage from the pantry, which _still_ needs a new lock, thank you very much." Dr. Rayserj glared at Crazy Hand, "Second, as much as I wish to believe in you and your word, I would be much more convinced if you hadn't been saying that since day one! I have sat here since then, and you have your blasted sticky notes jutting out from my wall!"

Looking to the right, everyone saw the multicolor madness that formed a hill sticking out as long as two feet, and covering the entire surface area.

"...Hmm... so, do you want to take a break?"

Dr. Rayserj simply stared at Crazy Hand. The other workers just focused on their breakfast. Pretty much everyone had accepted the madness, and Dr. Raryserj had been the one who unleashed it.

It happened a few days ago-Crazy Hand barged into the CCF for his own ridiculous project, just like he had a few years back during preparations for the second Tournament. Rayserj, having been appointed only recently, had no firsthand experience dealing with Crazy Hand, and the other workers didn't recall him causing much trouble before.

Deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt, the good doctor helped him out, allowing the God of Destruction to look at different world, and take notes on certain denizens for his own purposes.

Rayserj had been arrogant in his assumption. He had no idea of the depths of Crazy Hands madness, and the lengths that he went to drag others down to his level.

Or in layman's terms, Dr. Rayserj assumed that Crazy Hand would be a marginally reasonable being, and not an impulsive nut job. In order to help Crazy Hand, the Doctor offered several employees time away from their actual work, being paid to assist and essentially babysit. As time went on, multiple people had to join to work in shifts to make sure no one was too overworked by the endless tedium of scrolling through videos of different worlds.

Not only that, but Crazy Hand constantly tampered with all manner of things around the labs when no one watched him, with insane logic leading to issues, and even outright destruction of property. There was clear restraint in Crazy Hand's actions, and everyone there wanted to keep it that way (the worst was dousing a computer with different liquids, thinking it would speed it up by making the electricity flow better. It did not, only causing it to blow up).

There was never any telling what Crazy hand could do unsupervised, and now, the Director of the CCF was stuck helping Crazy Hand in his endeavors, just trying to please him until he left, and their facility wasn't in danger of any more tampering. And avoid upsetting him.

"No, no, just... I'll take over. But," he pointed to the floating hand, "You tell me what to do, and I'm leaving. This is my lab, and I will _not_ be bossed around by anyone, be you Mii, a Demon, or a God." Dr. Rayserj decided, taking his seat. He had considered contacting Master hand for help, but decided to try and keep waiting him out. Crazy Hand stressed that this whole thing needed to be a secret, and Rayserj felt it best to keep it that way. As much as he put on a brave face, he knew he couldn't stand up to Crazy Hand in a fight. He only spoke to him authoritatively like this because he knew that Crazy Hand almost never directly harmed people. It was mostly injuries due to collateral damage, and typically minor at worst.

For now, rather than risk Crazy Hand getting upset by them spilling the beans to his brother, Dr. Rayserj would cross his fingers, and hope that him and the workers could wait out the God of Chaos. Sure, it wasn't the bravest move, but given Crazy Hand's instability, it felt like the smartest one.

As for what Crazy Hand himself was doing, it was simple-he would be picking new fighters for his brother Master Hand.

Crazy Hand adored the Smash Bros. Tournament, but was usually upset about never being able to help. Sure, he could be asked to blow things up, and he liked doing it (who wouldn't like explosions?) but this was usually very rare. Typically, he was always left doing his own thing, and he could only mess with stocks or launch ninjas for so long with this in mind.

Crazy Hand wanted to help, to shake things up, and he remembered what he did several years ago-surprising his brother and everyone else with two surprise entries for the fights!

Sure, Bowser and Ganondorf weren't the best team players, but Crazy Hand knew it would all payoff! No princesses were kidnapped, nothing was conquered, and everyone got along all hunky-dory whenever they weren't beating the tar out of each other. Why, his own brother was so happy, he passed out for a whole day! Crazy Hand had to officially register and announce them on his own, but he was happy to help in any way possible.

Now, he decided to do it again!

The only problem was deciding on who to choose. The last entries made such a big splash not just because they were baddies, but because they were unexpected, and just like the crowds, that was something he loved. It was the very reason he had just decided to float upside down and was writing down his notes from the ceiling.

This time around, he knew he had to choose people no one would see coming-more bad guys would just be too simple. Too predictable! It had to be something even he couldn't predict... though, he had to wonder if something stayed unpredictable when he finally found out about it... did that mean it wasn't spontaneous any more since _he_ knew about it? Or was that just for him, and not for anyone else?

He would worry about it later. For now, he needed to focus. This place was so stuffy, and boring and _organized_ , but it was worth enduring if it meant helping out the Tournament and Master Hand.

"I'll ask again," Dr. Rayserj stated, turning round in his seat, "Are you _almost_ done? Anywhere close? _At all?_ "

Crazy Hand spun in place, thinking, "Hm, well, I honestly don't know. I mean, there are so many different worlds, and even more constantly added. Technically, if I want to look at all possible candidates, we would be doing this until the day after eternity." Crazy Hand stopped, floating down to the director. "So with that, I can certainly say, with complete confidence, that I am completely, without a single shred of doubt, 100% unsure about what answer to give."

"I can think of an answer."

"You can, Doc? What's the diagnosis? Whaddya' have in mind?" Dr. Rayserj looked behind Crazy hand, with slight concern,

"That... wasn't me."

"Pardon?"

"That was _him_."

Turning around, Crazy Hand stiffened, and began nervously twitching, looking all around his, trying to think of some sort of solution to his problem.

Crazy Hand's brother Master Hand was right in front of him, and did not look at all pleased with his brother's spoiled surprise.

"Hello Brother, I hope you're doing well, because I am _not_. This little scheme of yours is _over_ , because I am shutting it down right now."

* * *

 _Dear Ness, The PSI Warrior,_

 _First impressions would have anyone believe that you were a normal child, thrown into a chaotic Tournament. And for all intents and purposes, that is not far from the truth._

 _You are a promising young man who enjoys baseball, cares deeply about his friends, loves his mother dearly, and misses his father greatly while he is away at work. You have never spoken of any great aspirations, or shown any signs of having issues with your average life._

 _Some would see you as an unremarkable person... until they knew of the world you had come from, and the exploits you endured._

 _Ness, your home is one that is filled with strange beings, intelligent or otherwise, and inexplicable phenomena that you faced, not limited to your new PSI abilities. As you gained allies, all of you continued to go forward, with nothing but faith guiding you forward. Faith in the prophesy you told about, and faith in each other._

 _By the end of it all, you had faced the monstrous Giygas, fully corrupted by his own power. Faced against an incomprehensible being with infinite power, the skills and strength you had gained simply couldn't match up to it. All you had were your prayers, and the prayers of everyone you had met in your journey._

 _The same kind of faith that had carried you along this journey was exactly what was needed to defeat Giygas, his second-in-command Porky, and save everything from destruction._

 _After learning of all that you faced, and the increasingly disconcerting circumstances you were constantly faced with, anyone would believe that you were an extraordinary person._

 _They would be even more surprised to learn that their first impression of you was correct._

 _You had faced hardships that most would shy away from, and others would have lost their lives facing. You gained strength, formed unbreakable bonds, and most of all, held on to hope even in the face of complete and utter madness. When all looked lost, you were able look forward, and say with confidence that things would be 'Okay'._

 _These actions in themselves are incredible, but what is even more remarkable is someone like you. An ordinary boy, not only stepping up to meet an insurmountable challenge head-on, but coming out of the situation in a way like you did. To face all of the most unpredictable, dangerous forces one could imagine, and others many could not, and still coming out as you were before._

 _You are stronger and wiser, no doubt, but deep down, what has changed? You are happy, content with your lifestyle, happy with simply spending time with your friends and loved ones. You still love baseball, and your most treasured gain out of all of this aren't your PSI abilities, but the friends that you play with._

 _You are aware of the dangers of the world, but you do not fear them. You know how bad things can get, but you never doubt that things can better. You have experienced so much, but it has not changed who you are at your core._

 _A normal boy, content simply wants to live his life to its fullest._

 _And in a world visited by so many wonderful, unique people, a fairly normal person such as yourself would be more than welcome as one of the strangest additions to our roster once more. With this, you are officially invited to the Super Smash Bros. Tournament. Whatever your choice, I know you will not second guess yourself._

 _-Sincerely,_

 _The God of Order,_

 _Master Hand,_

* * *

A young boy removed the red baseball cap on his head, wiping away the sweat from his brow as he spoke excitedly on the phone. Nodding vigorously, and nearly shouting, the boy beamed at the phone in his hand, as if it were the person he was speaking to.

With a simple 'Okay', Ness hung up the phone, covering his eyes from the glare of the nearly set sun. Night time was just around the corner, and the impending darkness was a good reason for Ness to come inside from his baseball practice.

He might have stayed in longer, but his Mother insisted that he might 'catch death' or something. Ness never believed it (he would never even bother making a trap for Death) but he did admit the cold wasn't very pleasant when one was all sweaty. He could even catch a cold.

Instead, when he was out of school and done with homework, he would spend time playing baseball whenever he could. Sometimes it would be on his own, other times it would be with his sister Tracy and dog King, and rarely, it would be with his friends Paula, Chris, and Poo.

Walking up to his room, Ness thought back to all of his friends. Paula was busy with school in Twoson, and apparently seems to want to become a chef, using her frying pan for its intended purposes. Jeff had been working with his Father, learning about becoming a great inventor in his own right. Poo was busy preparing himself to become the official King of Dalaam, with the help of his Master.

Between all of that, and Ness' own life, it had become difficult for them to spend time together. They kept in contact over the phone, but it was never the same as spending time together in person.

Sitting inside of his room, Ness turned on a lamp at his desk and smiled at a note he wrote down for himself. next week was going to be one of the best ones out there. It was going to be one of the rare times him, Paula, Jeff, and Poo could spend time together at once, and at Ness' own house no less!

It was only made better by something that Ness was waiting to happen for a while.

Looking down at the notes, Ness made a small amendment to it. Along with the names of his best friends, Ness wrote down 'And Dad' next to them.

Ness' Father was getting time off, and just around when his friends were all coming over! He could finally introduce them, and with his parents, his sister, his dog, and Paula, Jeff, and Poo, they could actually play baseball with enough people for a _whole_ team! He would be halfway towards making his own official baseball games, all he'd need was to make an opposing team.

Gently laying the note down, Ness looked at the letter next to it, sent to him by Master Hand for the Super Smash Bros. Tournament. His eager expression grew somber as he looked at the letter, thinking about his PSI powers. He hadn't been using them very often at all, since he simply never felt the need to, and now, he was invited back to the Tournament when he was totally out of practice.

Ness looked down at his hand, making it crackle with energy. Thinking about it, Ness didn't think he could face anyone with these powers again...

...at least not without some training. He had to get a running start the first time around, but with his friends' support, he knew he'd be whipped back into shape in no time.

But, that was a concern for another day. He would call the others about it after they had enjoyed a day to themselves. For now, Ness decided to head to bed, eager to get an early start. He had told his Father about how much he was practicing, and he wanted to keep his skills sharp so he could prove it!

* * *

 **Aaaannnnnd, that's Ness! Yeah, like a few others, I haven't actually played his game at the time of writing this, so I hope I did a good job. Admittedly, I watched a bit of game play of Earthbound, and a whole let's play for Undertale, so I think those helped (and of course I read the wiki).**

 **Anyway, yeah, things going on with Crazy. Cool.**

 **For the next character, we'll begin moving into the Melee roster, and I figure a good fighter to start with is Marth. No real reason, just kind of feel like it, and thankfully Fire Emblem is a series I am familiar with (I will admit to my entry into the series being Awakening, and I still need to play the old ones, plus Fates, but, you know, life). Until next time!**


	13. Marth

A fight between Gods.

One who works to maintain a rigid sense of Order, and the other free to bring about as much Chaos as possible. A struggle between the two is one that should bring about great destruction, viewed in shock and awe by those privileged enough to see it happen.

"NGRRRR! How long… are you going to keep… sulking…!"

"…"

"Move!

Now, blast it!

Urgh!"

What the Miis of the CCF had been viewing was more along the lines of a big brother trying to deal with his younger sibling's temper tantrum. Poorly.

Very poorly.

Sitting in a crater was Crazy Hand, balled up into a fist and refusing to speak or even move as Master Hand struggled to pull him away and out of the building. He had been doing so ever since Master Hand tried to get Crazy Hand to speak about what he was doing. Master Hand was aware of it, but he wanted to see if his Brother had any other plans or motivations for going so far behind his back.

Unfortunately, the attempts at moving to a private place to speak were rebuffed. Crazy Hand simply screamed, crying for a bit, before going into the corner to try and ignore the world. Master Hand's previous attempts had led to a bizarre tug-o-war between two giant white hands. It had cost the Miis a good wall, and a good corner, but since that was the worst of it, they decided to take their leave.

Despite this, they were confident that Master Hand could handle his sibling. That, and just really tired of putting up with Crazy Hand, as well as being in desperate need of some sleep, those present happily vacated the facility.

Having given up on trying to pull Crazy Hand away by force, and seeing the empty and damaged room that they were both in, Master Hand turned his back to Crazy Hand, taking a moment to think about what he was up to.

According to King Passer, an employee at the Cross Connection Facility had been speaking to some of his mercenaries about a job to persuade Crazy Hand to leave. It was apparently meant to be discrete, to avoid earning the God of Chaos' wrath.

That, fortunately, was not the case. Thanks to some gossip, and a slip of the tongue, Master Hand was informed and able to keep his Brother from pulling something right under his nonexistent nose.

Again.

Now, he needed to try and deal with his crazed sibling, acting like a child just because his little surprise was ruined. Master Hand knew what Crazy Hand was trying to do, and even if he did like surprises, he would never be happy about this happening.

Master Hand simply wanted things to remain in control, and his brother enjoyed acting spontaneously, doing his own thing, and being sporadic about whether he would be a help, a hindrance, or a non-factor to any work he was in.

Master Hand turned around to Crazy Hand, who quickly shifted back into his position facing the wall. They were both as curious about how the other was doing, despite how annoyed each of them was. Crazy Hand was mad about his surprise being ruined, and Master Hand was aggravated by the stress and sneaking about.

Master Hand understood his Brother, and could tell that this meant a lot to Crazy Hand who, for all of his inconsistent spontaneity, could understand people well-enough when he focused and wanted to.

"Hey." Master Hand turned towards his Brother fully, hovering over him as he spoke, "Crazy Hand, I would like to speak with you. Can we talk?"

Crazy Hand stayed in his position, not moving.

Master Hand suppressed a groan and went on, "Alright, fine. You don't have to talk, but at the very least, _please_ listen. I know what you were trying to do-you wanted to bring in two more surprise entries for the Tournament like you did before, despite all of my reservations towards the idea. You did not talk to me, nor did you go to much effort to consult anyone else."

Crazy Hand shifted slightly, but did not move otherwise.

"You went through all of this trouble, disturbing hard-working people, disappeared for three days straight, and had me worried sick. I had no idea what happened, what you were doing, if you had hurt anyone, or if _you_ were hurt, I…!"

Master Hand paused, trying to collect himself. His voice had started to shake, and he was beginning to ramble. The stress was getting to him.

He felt a bit better when Crazy Hand bothered to look at him, showing that he was listening and acknowledging what Master Hand was saying. It could be so difficult to get his Brother to focus on anything, and Master Hand didn't think he had the energy for the usual effort. He appreciated it greatly.

"Crazy Hand, I want to hear it from you-why exactly did you think going behind my back like this would be a good idea? You remember how upset I was, and how I told you about the dangers your choices could pose.

I need to see, look into, and approve new choices. Doing otherwise undermines my authority, and runs the risk of inviting beings that can bring permanent harm upon our home _once more_."

Crazy Hand appeared as lucid as he ever could be as he stared at his Brother, clinging to every word, going over each letter so that it all stuck. Finally, after making sure he understood his Brother perfectly, he spoke.

"I just… wanted to help." Crazy Hand started, "To make a bang, surprise the crowds, and make things easier on you. You're always acting like the universe would explode, so I figured if I gave you a few new faces to hit the scene, those are a few more you won't be burning your brain over. People were happy with it before, so…"

Master Hand nodded, "I understand that, and I appreciate the sentiment. But the fact remains you did everything I did not want you to do once more, disturbed these Mii Doctor's, and made me worry endlessly about what was going on with you."

"…I get it, I get it…! I'm sorry, I just,-I didn't-I-I wanted to make things better for you...!

...and make you happy."

"In that case, you should have spoken to me directly. Save the terrifying surprises for parties, and take something like this seriously from now on."

Crazy Hand looked up at his Brother, confused. "What...?"

"Crazy Hand, the fact remains that you did the opposite of what I told you, trying to repeat an incident that I was not happy with, despite the positive outcome. If you truly wish to help me, you will need to work for me, in the open, doing _as I say_ , and keeping in contact with me regularly."

"You mean I have a _job_? A _real_ job with actual work and orders!?"

"Yes, but!" Master Hand held up a finger, "You are on thin ice. Any other person doing the same would run the risk of being imprisoned, but because you are my Brother, with your own… unique thought patterns, you are an exception this time around. You work directly under me, and any Miis who see you as a hindrance in any way will report you, and I will have you fired and banned from further involvement in the Tournament."

Crazy Hand grew tense, "Even the announcements?!"

"Especially the announcements." Not the most appropriate answer, but to Crazy Hand, it should emphasize the gravity of the situation. Hopefully. He loved the fights in the Tournament, it being one of the few constantly predictable things about the God of Chaos.

Crazy Hand looked around, actually taking a few moments to seriously consider this. A record five minutes of deliberation passed before he made his decision.

"Alrighty-roony! You got it, Brother!" Crazy Hand held himself out, expecting something Master Hand dreaded,

"Ugh, must we? Haven't you moved past something this ridiculous."

"Silly is what makes up my DNA!" Master Hand would contend that statement a million ways, but time was short, and talks with his Brother could take very, very long.

"Very well." Master Hand and his Brother shook Hands the only way they could, and finally left the CCF employees in peace.

Yes, the two Hands understood each other very well indeed. Despite their many, many differences, they would still love one another.

Through all of the fighting, the two would stick together through it all as the Brothers that they are.

* * *

 _Marth, the Hero-King of Altea,_

 _As a ruler of an entire continent of people, one is granted much power over these citizens, free use it however they wish. For better or worse, a nation's future is largely dependent on the person that leads them; who they are, and how they choose to rule._

 _A similar type of power is granted to those who choose to take up a blade, or any other type of weapon. These tools can bring harm unto others with ease, even allowing the owners to take another person's life into one's own hands._

 _Wielding this kind of sway over anyone's life, able to control how others live, is no easy task, which is why I believe that the way one utilizes this amount of power over others, speaks more about whom someone is than anything else._

 _It can be so easy to stray from good intentions, to harm others unintentionally or doing so without just cause._

 _You, Marth, are not one to take the easy way out of things in your life. You chose to fight against tyranny that tore your home apart, that exiled and betrayed your family, and tried to end you countless times. Despite all of the cruelty and harshness displayed, you never became what you fought._

 _Your blade Falchion was wise to choose you as worthy to hold it, Marth. You stayed the blade when met with the innocent, reaching out a hand in aid, and only raised your weapon up against those so cruel and unjust that they simply had to be struck down._

 _Not only that, but you have made great strides as a ruler, giving back to the home that was lost to you as a child. You chose to take up the task of laying down your weapon, to bring a war-torn continent back onto its feet. You decided to trade your battle with tangible forces to repair a broken nation, a fight that is even harder to face, and nearly impossible to finish completely._

 _Despite the scale of the damage done, you did so regardless. Not only have you fulfilled your responsibility as royalty, but in helping the citizens populating miles of land, you stayed true to who you were, who you are, helping the innocent and downtrodden when given the chance._

 _As one who wears his title well, I would like to invite you once more to the Super Smash Bros. Tournament. Your skills as a swordsman and kindness to those around you will be more than welcome among the many warriors, old and new, to come._

 _-Sincerely, Master Hand_

 _P.S.-Apologies if I was overdramatic, it just felt... right for some reason. I'm not certain why. Hope you're doing well._

* * *

Marth was one who typically held a dignified air at all times. Whether it was with the public, or his close friends, doing so came naturally, making sure to show others the utmost respect so that he would get the same.

Falling down onto the floor did nothing to help maintain his nobility.

"Damn..." Reaching for his right knee once more, Marth winced at the pain that flared up once more, causing sweat to drip from his hair. He could barely see it, but what he felt confirmed that a nasty bruise would show up there soon.

He was more than a little embarrassed about collapsing in his own castle in the middle of the night, but Marth found solace in the fact that almost everyone normally there had either left or was asleep.

"Oh dear!"

Everyone except for himself, and his wife Caeda.

Marth turned to see his wife just as she had knelt down beside him, concern etched into her face.

"A-apologies Caeda, I'm... alright."

Caeda didn't look convinced, sliding her husband's arm over her shoulder. "No, you are _not_ alright Marth. Just as I thought, your knee is injured, and you need my help." Marth gritted his teeth as he stood up, thanks to Caeda's support, and the two of them began shuffling further into the castle. "How bad is it? Should I call for a cleric?"

Marth shook his head, "Not... at this hour...

It hurts... a lot, but it's not _that_ bad. I should be alright until morning when everyone is up."

"You're certain?"

Bending his bad knee a bit, Marth felt acute pain, and knew it wasn't anything fatal. He had suffered his fair share of injuries over his life, including a broken bone or two, and was positive that he hadn't damaged his leg or knee cap. He simply had to lay down, and keep it still. "I'm certain." Marth looked away sheepishly, "I... didn't notice it earlier during training. I was so excited that the pain was dulled, and by the time I felt it..."

"You were on the floor after I let you go." Caeda looked forward, "I'm glad that you didn't try to hide it. Now, let's get you to bed."

Marth looked forward, careful to make sure the floor was kept clean. With the moon as their only source of light, it would be very easy to miss something that could send both of them toppling down on the floor thanks to his knee.

As a breeze poured through the halls, he had finally taken notice of how cold the night air could be, especially when one was covered with sweat.

To think this was just supposed to be such a simple evening activity. A way to work off the food from their small celebration, and make sure that he was still in good form. Well over two hours of combat training, which his wife volunteered to take part in as a sparring partner, seemed to be going swimmingly. Unfortunately, the two of them had gotten fairly serious, and Caeda had broken her wooden staff on his knee. What could have been a peaceful end to a wonderful night would probably drag on because of the aching.

As the two of them climbed the steps upstairs, Marth asked if Caeda was doing well herself,

"As well as I can be after harming you like this..." Caeda's steps were heavy as she supported Marth's weight, their leather shoes tapping softly against the stone,

"Caeda, it was just an accident-"

"Yes, I _know_ it is, but please don't act like this is nothing. I became overzealous, and not only did I harm the King of Altea, but at the same time I have harmed my _husband_." Caeda gave Marth a strong look, "I did not restrain myself, and you were injured because of it. Do not try to pass this off as just a minor bruise when you can barely walk."

Marth looked down, focusing on his own steps which he coordinated with his wife's. He knew what she was saying. Marth recalled the days during the war, when Caeda fiercely rebuked his request to avoid fighting at the front lines to ease his own conscience. He was trying to protect her, too afraid that she would get hurt, that her skills might be enough and that she would die. He had changed his mind, and she survived to the end, but he simply couldn't help feeling concerned about any of his allies-least of all the woman he loved.

In this case, Marth knew Caeda did not want to be absolved of her mistake. Accident or not, carelessness had led to his injury, and she didn't want to just brush it away. Marth respected that, but he could not let it stand. Not like this.

"No, it was my fault as well." Caeda looked at her husband, steadying him as they reached the top of the steps and moved forward, "Both of us got caught up in the training, and it was I who just happened to be injured."

"Hmm..." Caeda opened the doors to their chamber, went in with her husband, and shut them behind her, "Well, I doubt either of us are sure who started it, but both of us should have known better to stop," She moved her way to their bed lifting the covers and sitting her husband on it,

"Mmm...!" Marth winced as he sat down, grabbing Caeda's hand as it reached to help somehow, "I-I'll be okay...! Apologies." Marth gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as he looked into his wife's eyes,

"It is alright. We can share the blame as we tell everyone tomorrow, and then patch up my injury." Caeda gave Marth a small grin,

"You are not afraid of the public finding out? This could be embarrassing for you." Caeda placed her arms on Marth's shoulders, lowering herself to match his height as he sat,

"Hmph, hardly. If anything, the nation should be able to sleep even easier at night knowing the strength of their Queen." Marth wrapped her arms around her back, the space between them shrinking,

"Well, I do feel proud. To know that my opponent was such a strong, benevolent ruler, _and_ that I married that person."

The two fully embraced each other as their faces drew closer,

"And I feel the same about you, Caeda..."

As their lips met, both King and Queen, husband and wife were away from the world for just the briefest of moments. The pain from Marth's leg, the guilt that Caeda felt, the exhaustion that they shared-it was all gone.

It was just them in each other's arms, taken a moment to fully appreciate one another.

It ended as soon as it began as Marth managed to shift himself to lie down, "You may still need to rest for a day or so before training again." Caeda said, pulling the covers up on her own bed out as she slid under them.

This didn't bother Marth in the slightest, as he slid his hand into hers, "Do not worry. With you supporting me, I know I won't have any issue standing up to the best any world has to offer." The two kissed each other goodnight, and went to bed, with the future meeting with their closest allies to look forward to.

* * *

 **This one came out a LOT different than I thought it would, and I think that's a good thing. Part of writing this was as a bit of a writing exercise for me with characterization, and other things. It's actually one of the few times that I've ever written a kiss-and I'm glad I'm realizing stuff like that, hope I keep learning and, or course, doing.**

 **On the chapter itself, I'm working off of the Fire Emblem Wiki and only had a chance to look up Marth's support with Caeda. Criticism is welcome, since I probably won't be getting around to playing Shadow Dragon an time soon. Second, hope the Hand's discussion was alright. Lack of experience, and again, criticism is of course appreciated.**

 **Anyway, hope this was a nice read, and that you look forward to Princess Peach next. Also, like with Young Link, I'll address characters that aren't in the roster, and won't be in this story... for now. I'll probably come up with something later, and if anyone new comes to a Switch port, I'll happily change things up.**

 **Until next time!**


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